


The Wizard Changeling

by Ravenof_flame



Series: The Changeling Saga [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Irish Mythology
Genre: Albus Dumbledore Bashing, BAMF Harry Potter, BAMF Minerva McGonagall, Dreamscapes, Dreamsharing, F/M, Fae Harry Potter, Fae Magic, Manipulative Albus Dumbledore, Past Child Abuse, Swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-10
Updated: 2020-09-24
Packaged: 2021-02-23 08:27:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 17
Words: 70,962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23575270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ravenof_flame/pseuds/Ravenof_flame
Summary: Continuation of "The Lost Changeling".Harry has spent the past three years in the wild. The boy who comes to Hogwarts is very different to what people expected. How can something so beautiful be so creepy? And what is with all the birds?All Minerva McGonagall knows is that she will do anything to ensure that Harry Potter is safe, even if she has to fight both Dumbledore and Voldemort to acheave it.
Relationships: Hermione Granger & Luna Lovegood, Hermione Granger & Neville Longbottom, Hermione Granger/Harry Potter, Luna Lovegood & Harry Potter, Minerva McGonagall & Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom & Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom & Luna Lovegood, Seamus Finigan and Luna Lovegood, Seamus Finnigan & Harry Potter, Seamus Finnigan & Hermione Granger, Seamus Finnigan & Neville Longbottom
Series: The Changeling Saga [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1696999
Comments: 128
Kudos: 499
Collections: Harry Potter Fanfic Must Reads, To remember and cherish





	1. The child of the forest

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Chapter 1:

Minerva McGonagall was not having a good week. For the past ten years, she had been eagerly awaiting the day that Harry Potter would arrive at Hogwarts. Ten years previously, she had been forced to watch as Albus Dumbledore left the poor newly orphaned boy on the doorstep of his mother's sister, despite Minerva's constant protests.  
She had persistently told him that he should not have left the child there. That they were the worst kind of muggles. That Harry was not safe there. But did he listen? Oh no, because Albus Dumbledore knew best. He hadn't even aloud any of them to visit him, as he did not wish for the boy to be introduced to the magical world until the time was right.  
A week ago, she had sent out all of the Hogwarts acceptance letters as usual. And as usual, they had all returned with replies. That is, until she reached the letter that she had been most eagerly waiting for. She had hoped to find that young Mr Potter had sent a reply, confirming that he would be attending the school that year.  
Only to find that he had not even received the letter.  
The letter had not even been touched by the boy. The owl had returned, somewhat frazzled. She had taken back the letter and had red the address on it. The addresses on the letters were usually automatically put on the envelope by magic.  
So it was only then that she discovered that the address on Mr Potter's letter was not what she expected. In fact, there was no address, save for the country.  
Ireland. What was he doing in Ireland?  
In her animagis form, she had returned to Privet Drive and had discovered that the Dursleys were still living in the same house they had lived in ten years ago. So this meant that Harry was in Ireland alone.  
She had then confronted Albus about this. Which led to her discovering that he had known about the boy not being with his relatives, and that apparently this had happened three years ago. She was of course furious, but she managed to resist the urge to jinx the headmaster.  
The old man had continued by saying he had put several tracking charms on the owl with Potter's acceptance letter, and that he had been hoping to find the boy's location through them. But unfortunately, something was preventing the owl from reaching him. The closest that the bird had gotten was near a forest just outside of a small town in Ireland. He had been planning on going to Ireland himself to find the child, however, Minerva was having non of it. Albus had failed to ensure the boy's safety, and so now she had to pick up the pieces.  
Which was why she was currently walking through a muggle town in Ireland in the middle of Merlin knows where, hoping to catch word of an eleven year old boy.  
It was actually harder than she had thought it would be. She would ask someone if they had seen a child, around ten or eleven, with dark hair and green eyes. There were not that many people in the town, so she hoped they would be able to tell her easily if they had seen a specific child of such description.  
However, every time she tried, they would begin muttering and nervously everting their eyes.  
Minerva was beginning to become quite frustrated, when her attention was drawn to someone, beckoning for her from a dark corner. She approached the stranger warily. It appeared to be a middle-aged man, his eyes darting around nervously.  
"I hear you've been walking around town, asking about a boy with dark hair and green eyes." He began.  
"Yes." Minerva began.  
The man chuckled.  
"There are a few young lads around here who could match that description, but we all know who you're talking about. There's only one boy around here who could draw the attention of a stranger."  
"Really?" Minerva asked. She was beginning to gain hope of finding young Mr Potter.  
The man nodded.  
"It was three years ago." He began in a whisper. "A child began randomly appearing in the streets some nights, about once every couple months or so. He would be there one minute, then gone the next. At first, some people tried to help him, because they thought he was lost. But when they tried talking to him, he disappeared."  
Minerva frowned.  
"What did he do while in town?"  
"He sang." The man replied.  
"Sang?"  
"Yes, sang." The man confirmed. "He had this little pouch he seemed to have made out of leaves. He would put it at his feet and he would sing. But it wasn't normal singing. His voice could enchant the sternest of people, melt the coldest of hearts. It was almost like magic."  
Minerva managed to keep a straight face.  
"That isn't all." The man continued. "Sometimes, he would even recite poetry."  
"Poetry?" Minerva asked, amazed.  
"Yes." The man confirmed. "And not just any poetry. Some of the nicest and most saddening poetry this town has ever heard."  
Minerva's heart sank.  
"What was the poetry about?"  
The man winced.  
"Some of it was about a lonely boy, locked away in the dark and longing for something he couldn't even name. But some were about the trees and the beauty of the forest. Those were more lighthearted. But all of it was beautiful."  
The man visibly shuddered.  
"His singing and his poetry aren't the only things strange about the child. He is always seen with four birds hovering around his head. Sometimes they'll join in his singing. Sometimes they'll play with the other children. But one time, when the child was singing, someone tried to grab him and the birds attacked him. Almost pecked his eyes out before the child called them off."  
Minerva's frown deepened.  
"What did he do with the money he received?"  
"That's the thing." The man replied. "The day after the boy had been in, there would be a pile of money in the clothes shop down the road, and some missing clothes. We think he was using the money to pay for the clothes, but why not do it the normal way instead of at night?"  
"Do you know where he stays?" Minerva asked.  
The man shook his head.  
"There has been a lot of theories about that child floating around. Many of us don't think he's even human."  
"What do you think he is?" Minerva asked.  
The man lent in closer.  
"Some think he's an angel, because he's so beautiful." He began. "Others think he's some sort of demon, attempting to tempt us to darkness. But most of us think that he is a fae."  
Minerva shuddered. She had been raised on the stories of the fair folk, of how they could just as easily help or hinder someone. That it was never a wise decision to cross one.  
"Do you believe it is true?" She asked.  
"How else would you explain it?" The man retorted. "He practically enchants anyone who hears him singing or reciting his poetry."  
Minerva shook her head.  
"Do you at least have some idea where he might be?"  
The man shook his head.  
"There used to be a lake, about a kilometre into the forest, that we used to go to all the time. But ever since the fae-child appeared, we have not been able to find it. We always get redirected."  
Minerva shook her head.  
"Thank you for this information." She began. "Can you tell me where this lake used to be?"  
The man pointed her in the direction of the forest.  
"There's a path that goes straight there, but I don't think you'll be able to reach it. Something's not natural about that forest, not since the fae-child came."

Minerva left the man and entered the forest.  
It was not hard to find the path. She followed it, hoping to find Mr Potter at the lake.  
At one point, she felt a great pressure around her mind. She could hear voices in her head, telling her to walk away. But she was persistent. She would not give up until she ensured that Harry Potter was safe.  
As soon as the thought crossed her mind, the pressure stopped and she could follow the rest of the path.  
Soon, she found herself before a great lake. She looked around the area. But she could not see any sine of the boy. In fact, there was no evidence of anyone being there recently.  
She was contemplating what to do next, when she heard a slight rustling in the trees.  
She turned around quickly, her wand drawn. However, she was stopped when she was restrained in a most unusual way. Blades of grass grew rapidly around her and began to bind her legs and wrists.  
As she tried to break her bindings, she heard the musical voice of a child.  
"I wouldn't."  
Minerva turned to see a small boy had climbed out of a tree. He had a light tan, as if he spent a lot of time outside. His hair was a very dark red, and he had a lean build that led Minerva to believe that once he got older he would be quite a handsome young man. His face only served to amplify this, as it could only be described as angelic.  
However, the most startling part of him was his eyes. Those bright green eyes that were so wild, as if the forces of nature themselves were held in their depths.  
She knew this could only be one boy.  
"Are you Harry Potter?" She asked.  
The child frowned.  
"First, I have to know," He began. "What are you doing in my forest?"  
Minerva blinked.  
"I am looking for a young boy, he would be eleven today, called Harry Potter."  
"What do you want with him?" The boy continued.  
"I want to ensure he is safe." Minerva replied.  
The boy studded her for a long time. Finally, he seemed to relax.  
"Fine then. I am Harry Potter."  
Minerva sighed in relief.  
"Mr Potter, it is good that I found you." She began.  
Mr Potter tilted his head.  
"Why were you looking for me?" He asked.  
Minerva cleared her throat.  
"I am Professor Minerva McGonagall. I am a teacher from a rather... unique school."  
"Is it a magic school?"  
Minerva blinked.  
"How did you...?"  
"I can sense your magic." The boy explained.  
Minerva was confused. He could sense her magic? But that was not possible. Very few wizards could do such a thing. She cleared her throat again.  
"Yes, well... This school is called Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I have come to offer you a place in our school."  
The boy's eyes narrowed. Minerva was surprised when four small birds flew from the tree-tops and began hovering around the child's head protectively.  
"You want to take me to this school of yours." He said slowly.  
"Yes." Minerva began. "You have been registered to attend Hogwarts since you were born."  
"How?" He asked.  
"All magical children in Britain and Ireland are registered for Hogwarts at birth." Minerva explained.  
Harry frowned.  
"You wish to take me away from my forest?"  
"You do not have to worry..." Minerva began.  
Wind began to swirl around them. Leaves blew in every direction. Mr Potter clenched his fists and his eyes sparked like emerald fire.  
"No, I can't leave. There is no telling what humans will do to my forest and it's inhabitance. I need to make sure they're safe."  
"Please, Mr Potter calm down." Minerva requested.  
The child began to calm down, along with the rest of the forest. Minerva sighed in relief.  
"You don't understand Mr Potter." She continued. "Many people are expecting you to be at Hogwarts this year."  
"Why?" The boy asked. "I'm not that important."  
Minerva frowned. She couldn't say she was not expecting this. He clearly had no idea how important he truly was.  
"You are very important in the magical world." She said.  
Harry scoffed.  
"I don't see how. I'm nobody. My parents were drunks who died in a car crash."  
Minerva flinched.  
"A car crash?" She muttered. "Mr Potter, I assure you, you are mistaken. Your parents were two of the greatest people I knew."  
"You knew my parents?" He asked.  
Minerva smiled.  
"Yes, both of them were students of mine. Both were extraordinarily gifted, though your father did have a tendency for trouble-making."  
Harry frowned.  
"Then I assume they were magical also?"  
Minerva nodded.  
"Explain." The child demanded.  
Minerva sighed.  
"It is a long story. Is there somewhere we can sit and discuss it?"  
Potter's eyes flicked to the sky.  
"It's getting dark. Fine, I will take you to where I usually camp. But no funny business."  
Minerva nodded. Instantly, her grass bindings began to untie themselves and returned to the ground. Minerva rubbed her wrists.  
"Put your wand away." Potter said. "Nothing will hurt you in this forest unless I will it to."  
Minerva shuddered at the boy's tone, but followed him nonetheless.

After a few minutes of walking, in which Minerva suspected Mr Potter was purposely trying to get her lost, they emerged into a clearing. Minerva looked around to see a well-used fire-pit in the centre of it, and what appeared to be a nest of old rags to one side. There were also woven baskets hanging from some branches. Minerva could just see some food poking out of some of them, so presumably they were to act as storage facilities.  
Potter walked to the middle of the clearing, near the fire-pit. With a wave of his hand a fire was lit and he sat down, beckoning for Minerva to join him.  
She did so hesitantly. Once she was sitting on the ground, she cleared her throat and attempted to speak.  
"Shhh." Mr Potter hushed. "Wait a second."  
He was looking somewhere to his left. Minerva turned to see what he was looking at. However, she could not see anything of interest.  
Then, suddenly, a black blur flew from the shadows of the trees and landed on Harry's shoulder. The boy smiled as he stroked the back of a very large black crow.  
Minerva shivered as she looked at the crow. Somehow, she suspected that this was no ordinary bird. The mere sight of it was disconcerting.  
However, both the boy and the birds who were still hovering around his head seemed unfazed by the appearance of this strange crow.  
Minerva cleared her throat.  
"Is that your pet?" She asked.  
Instantly, Potter's face darkened significantly.  
"A pet." The child spat in obvious disgust. "Do you mean what humans call their animal slaves? No, this crow is not my pet. She is, like all of the forest's animals, my friend."  
"Oh." Minerva said. "I am sorry if I offended you."  
Mr Potter shrugged.  
"I am not the one you should be apologising to. My Crow-Friend can be quite dangerous, and she is powerful."  
"What do you mean?" Minerva asked.  
Mr Potter raised an eyebrow.  
"You are a witch, and you cannot even sense when you are in the presence of a magical crow?"  
"Very few magicals can sense the magic of others." Minerva argued. "Only the most powerful..."  
"Well then, I do not know how I am able to sense all of the magic around me." He interrupted.  
Minerva sucked in a deep breath and attempted to change the subject back to what they had been previously discussing.  
"Well, as I was saying before..."  
"What happened to my parents?" The boy asked.  
Minerva sucked in a deep breath.  
"Well, it is a long and tragic story." She began.  
The boy stared at her unblinkingly.  
"Pain... Heartbreak... Dead uncounted..." He said in a distant voice.  
Minerva shuddered. There was something in that boy's gaze that disconcerted her, almost as much as the crow.  
Harry blinked and coughed.  
"Continue." He said, as if nothing had happened.  
"Well," Minerva continued. "It was around twenty years ago. A dark wizard began to gather power. He was so dark and terrible that people were even afraid to say his name..."  
"What was it?" The boy asked.  
Minerva shuddered.  
"I... I cannot say." She said.  
"Cannot or will not?" Potter retorted. "I can understand why you would fear to say some names, for some names can evoke terrible power. That is why we rarely use names in nature."  
Minerva nodded.  
"Thank you for your..."  
"But I still wish to hear the name." He continued. "For if my suspicions are true, it sounds as if this dark wizard was the course of my parents' deaths."  
Minerva blinked. She then sighed.  
"Fine. The wizard's name was... Lord Voldemort."  
Minerva shuddered before beginning her tale again. She went on to explain how the child's parents were James and Lily Potter, two of the greatest people she had ever known and had the pleasure of teaching. Then she described how, shortly after he was born, the small family had had to go into hiding, as the dark wizard had targeted them for some unknown reason.  
Throughout the tale, the boy sat there, his face a mask of calm. The only things which gave away his true emotions were his clenched fists, and the eyes which continued to burn like emerald fire. Not once did he speak or react in any way, other than these small actions.  
Finally, Minerva finished. She was having an extreme amount of trouble holding back her tears. The pain she had felt upon hearing of the Potters' deaths had returned, and she was struggling not to show the poor boy before her.  
Suddenly, Minerva felt something against her face. She opened her eyes to see that one of the birds that had been hovering around Potter's head had flown to her face and brushed it's feathers against her cheek. It quickly flew back to join it's comrades around the boy's head.  
"I can tell that this still causes you great pain, even after all this time." He began calmly.  
Minerva sucked in a shuddering breath.  
"Thank you." She said.  
"I wish I had known them." He continued. "My parents. They sounded like good people."  
"Oh, they were." Minerva replied. "They were... Two of the greatest students I had ever had the honor of teaching."  
"But, how was it that I survived while my parents died?"  
Minerva shook her head.  
"No one knows, I'm afraid."  
Potter was silent for a long time, before he finally spoke again.  
"After all this," He continued. "You have still not told me why you want me to go to this Hogwarts."  
Minerva paused, thinking for a few seconds. She then sighed.  
"I will not try to force you Mr Potter. You seem to be attached to this forest, and I would hate to rip you away from something you love."  
She sighed again.  
"I only wish to ensure you are safe."  
"I am safe." Mr Potter replied. "My Crow-Friend has made these wards which keep anyone whom we do not invite out. She keeps me safe, and we keep the forest safe."  
Minerva sighed.  
"Yes, I understand this. But you still do not understand." She said. "You are now at the age when a wizard's magic begins to mature. While in childhood it appears in bursts we call accidental magic, this is a far more delicate time. This is when your true power begins to develop. If you do not learn to control your magic properly, then the consequences could be dire."  
The boy frowned. He seemed to think for a long time, his gaze flicking now and again to the crow. Finally, he sighed.  
"I can see your concern." He began. "And while it may be interesting to learn this magic, I still cannot leave my forest."  
"What is the worst that could happen, if you were to leave?" Minerva asked.  
Instantly, Potter's eyes darkened.  
"Do you even know, what the humans have done to this planet?" He said darkly. "They cut the forests down, tear out the dirt and the plants. And all for what? So they can build their cities, and their skyscrapers. They have polluted this world, frown nature out of balance, and they couldn't care less."  
He clenched his fists.  
"They make little patches of grass and trees, call them parks, and expect that they would be good enough. They trap the earth under layers upon layers of concrete. They lock animals in cages and people pay to stare at them."  
He gestured widely.  
"This forest is one of the few wild places left. I must protect it at all costs. The earth is suffering, and I need to protect it."  
"But why you?" Minerva asked in a shuddering breath. "Your only a boy."  
"Because if I don't, then who will?" He replied quietly.  
The crow was still perched on his shoulder, staring at her.  
"What happened to you?" Minerva asked in a whisper of a voice.  
The child chuckled darkly.  
"I was denied something, very important."  
"What?"  
Potter's eyes met hers, and his eyes glowed.  
"Love." He said. "I didn't even know what it was, and yet I still felt I needed it."  
He looked into the fire.  
"My so-called relatives never loved me. They locked me in a cupboard, forced me to work for them like a slave, starved me, beat me, always made me feel as if I were worthless. No one ever noticed. No one ever cared."  
He stroked the crow again, smiling. Then, he held out both his hands. The four birds around his head flew onto them, two birds on each hand. He smiled at the sight of them.  
"My birds were kind to me." He said. "They cared for me. And I care for them."  
The birds returned to hovering around his head, and he laid his hands by his side again.  
"When I was eight, I was running from my cousin and his gang, who were determined to beat me up. I was cornered, and my birds helped me. They attacked my tormentors. But then, one of them got hurt. And so I snapped. I retaliated and beat up my cousin. Everything was fine, until I returned to my prison that I was forced to call home."  
He clenched his fists.  
"My uncle tried to beat me to death for defending myself. There was pain, blood, anger... But then, my birds defended me and we all escaped."  
The ghost of a smile appeared on his face.  
"I ran for I don't know how long. Finally, I came to this forest, and this lake. And I decided this would be my home."  
He stared straight into her eyes.  
"And I will protect my forest no matter what."  
Minerva had to suppress her shudder.  
"I only wish that you would consider going to Hogwarts." Minerva said.  
Harry was quiet for a long time.  
"You don't even have to stay for the whole year." She continued. "We have holidays where students can go back to their homes, during December and January, and the summer holidays begin in June. Term begins in September, so you will still have some time in your forest."  
He continued to sit in silence. His gaze kept flickering to the crow. Finally, he replied.  
"I shall have to consider it." He said steadily. "Come here tomorrow."  
"Very well." Minerva replied.  
Potter got up and Minerva also stood.  
"I shall show you back to the town. Meet me there tomorrow morning. And come alone."  
Minerva followed the boy with his strange birds through the forest. After only a few minutes, she could see the lights of the town from beyond the trees.  
"Can you find your way from here?" He asked.  
"Yes." Minerva replied.  
"Fine then." He replied.  
He turned to leave, but then turn back.  
"Oh, and Professor?"  
His eyes once again met hers.  
"Speak of this to no one."  
Minerva made to reply, but before she could, the boy had disappeared into the trees.


	2. Child of Nature

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get to see what Harry's been up to.

Chapter 2:

After the magic-woman left, Harry had returned to his clearing. He had much to think about. As he sat by the fire, he looked into it's flames and attempted to order his thoughts and emotions.  
It had been three years since he had had proper human interaction. Yes, he had gone into the town near his forest every few months, but he had never actually spoken to any of them. He only sat and either sang or spoke poetry for them, so he could earn money. The only reason why he needed money was to buy new clothes when the old ones became too warn and he had to add them to his nest. He would have happily forgone even clothes, but his delicate human body still needed something to protect it from the elements, and to keep him warm during the cold season. But he planned on stopping this tradition once he learnt how to properly skin animals and turn their hide into proper clothing.  
For now, he was still learning how to hunt for himself. His diet still mostly consisted of wild berries and nuts. The most meat he got was from his Crow-Friend.  
This witch-woman was the first person he had actually spoken to in three years. Part of him had been scared of her, afraid that she would be as cruel as the other humans he had encountered in his short life. He had wanted her to leave him and his forest alone. The only thing that kept him from being forceful against the intruder was the fact that his Crow-Friend had allowed the woman in.  
He smiled as the crow perched herself on his shoulder.  
They had met only a few days after he had first come to the forest. He had been exploring, when she had swooped down upon him. He had at first been scared. But then he had looked into her fiery eyes, and somehow, he had felt safe. He did not know how, but the mere presence of the crow made him feel safe. It was as if part of him knew she would never hurt him, and that she would defend him till the end.  
From that moment on, she was his friend, protector and mentor. It only took him a day to discover she was magical. And oh, what power she had.  
She had built wards around his forest, protecting them from the humans. With these wards, the crow could sense who was approaching and ensure they never came anywhere close to Harry. The only way anyone would be able to get past, was if his Crow-Friend allowed it. The only downside of these wards were that, while they were constructed by the crow, they were sustained by Harry's own energy. He feared that if he were to leave his forest for too long, then the wards would collapse. This was the main reason why he was hesitant to go to this Hogwarts.  
"What do you think my friend?" He asked the crow.  
She cocked her head and stared at him.  
Harry sighed.  
"Do you think it's worth going to this Hogwarts?"  
The crow replied by sending him images and emotions. This was how she communicated. Instead of words, she would send him feelings and images, which he quickly learnt how to interpret. At this moment, she had asked him what he thought.  
Harry shook his head.  
"I don't know." He said. "I mean, on one hand, I'd like to learn magic. Not that you haven't been a good teacher, it's just... I feel as if I could learn a lot if I went, and maybe, just maybe, I could use what I learn to help better protect the forest, or maybe even the entire earth."  
He sighed and looked around him.  
"But I fear that if I do leave, then the forest will suffer. What if I am away for too long, and the wards fall."  
The crow was quiet for a long time. Then, finally, she replied. She showed him the forest changing from late summer, to autumn, and then finally to winter. Throughout this change, it was glowing with what Harry assumed were meant to be a representation of the wards. While they did fade slightly, they did not fall. And by winter, there was an image of Harry returning to the forest and the wards were renewed.  
Harry smiled slightly.  
"Yes, the witch-woman McGonagall did say I could return during the winter and the summer."  
He fell into quiet contemplation for a long time. He dug both his fingers and toes into the earth, as he did whenever he wished to clear his mind.  
Instantly, the feeling of the earth filled him. He could sense the magic flowing through him. Wild, untamed, pure. This power coursed through every clump of dirt, through every leaf of every tree, from the deepest gullies to the highest peaks. And in that moment, he could feel it all. He was a being of nature, of the earth, pure and unrestricted by the chains of social expectations.  
He sucked in a breath. This was his home. Not any house or city, but the forest and nature itself. The earth sang to him, embraced him, loved him, more than any humans ever did.  
As he concentrated, he could sense the growing of plants underneath the soil. He could feel the rotting roots of ancient and dying trees. He could feel the circle of life, as predator hunted and killed prey, and as the predator died, leaving it's body to decompose. Life and death, all of it at his fingertips. Beautiful, untamed, free.  
However, as he continued to concentrate, his focus turned to further parts of the earth. More specifically, he could sense where the earth was in pain.  
Anger coursed through him as he sensed a far away modern town, with there roads and large buildings covering the earth. Chaining her, restricting her... Imprisoning her.  
It took all of his strength not to use his power to rip up the roads and unbind the earth from her shackles.  
Not yet, he told himself. He was not strong enough yet. He knew that at this point, the effort would kill him. And while he would gladly give his life for the earth, he knew that this area was only a small fraction of the damage the humans had done to the earth. If he died now, then he would not be able to help the rest of the earth. And anyway, they would just build new roads. He needed to find a way to permanently free the earth.  
Maybe Hogwarts could provide this solution.  
He brought his attention back to himself and opened his eyes, letting out a long breath.  
"I should go, shouldn't I?" He asked the crow.  
She did not reply.  
"I must go." He continued. "I need to learn all I can to help the earth. So what if I will have to put up with..."  
He shuddered.  
"Humans." He spat in disgust. "I am stronger now."  
The crow ruffled her feathers. Harry did not need her to send him emotions to tell she was justly proud. After all, it was thanks to her that he had become stronger than he had once been.  
His birds flew around his head. He extended his hands and they landed on them, two on either one. He smiled.  
"You will come, won't you?" He asked his friends.  
All four birds chirped happily and began to yet again hover around his head. He smiled.  
"And what about you?" He asked his Crow-Friend.  
The crow cocked her head. She stared at him for a long time. Finally, she squawked and sent him feelings of agreement. Harry smiled.  
"Great."  
The crow hopped closer to him and put one of her sharp talons gently onto one of his exposed feet.  
"Oh, right," Harry said, chuckling. "I'll need some shoes, won't I?"  
He had not worn shoes for three years. He found that he was more powerful if he had a direct connection to the earth. Shoes would be inconvenient, but a necessary sacrifice.  
He got to his feet and went over to the small pouch where he stored his money. After counting it, he estimated an amount that he felt would be enough. He briefly wondered how he was going to pay for his school supplies, but resolved to figure that out when he came to it.  
In the dead of night, he quietly snuck into the town close by. After years of practice, he had no trouble in sneaking into the shop and finding the right sized shoes for himself. He also quickly grabbed a few pairs of socks, as he remembered that shoes could be quite uncomfortable without them. He quickly found what he was looking for and left the appropriate amount of money.  
He could have easily stolen the shoes. However, that was not the way of the natural world. Everything had a price, no matter how great or small. He knew that if he did not pay the price put on any item he took by the humans, then nature would take an even greater price from him. He did not wish to risk this, hence why he made a living of occasionally going into the town and preforming for the people, though humans were not worthy of his gift of song and poetry in his opinion. They who took what they had for granted. They who believed him strange.  
Well, let them think what they thought.  
He knew what they whispered about him behind his back, when they thought he was not there. While he mostly went to the town at night, he also hid in the trees during the day from time to time. He found it quite amusing to hear what these people worried about on a daily basis. The cost of this, who was doing what, the latest gossip. It was amazing, how insignificant the vast majority of their concerns were. They were so self centered, talking about fashion, and cars, and trying to one-up each other. Not even caring that they were killing the earth, every time they drove their fancy cars or tossed their rubbish onto the streets.  
He saw teenagers and even children, complaining about their parents and about how much they wished they could grow up and move far far away. In Harry's opinion, they were the most ignorant of what they had. He would do anything to have his parents. To have loving embraces from his mother, to play with is father in the yard, to know what it was like to have a home.  
But at times like these he remembered that he had the forest, and his birds and his Crow-Friend.  
While listening to people's petty concerns were entertaining, what truly amused him were all the times he'd heard the people talking about him. At first they were not even sure if he had truly existed, and that he wasn't just a mere figment of their imagination. Then, they began to ask themselves who exactly Harry was. He rolled his eyes when he heard many of them whispering concerns for his wellbeing.  
He doubted they truly cared. The Dursleys hadn't cared, nor had anyone from Privet Drive. So why should these people be any different? At the end of the day, all humans cared about were themselves.  
But not Harry. He was not like them. He cared not for himself. He cared for the earth, and the many creatures who formed the balance of nature. The balance that humans threatened. The balance that he would restore, one day.  
He had always known he was different. Even the townspeople knew it. He amused himself by listening to what they believed he was. An angel? A demon? Or, his favourite, a fae-child?  
The third one particularly drew his interest. Back when he still lived with the humans, he enjoyed reading stories about the fair-folk. Though some of the depictions of the fairies seemed a bit off to him.  
He'd once asked his Crow-Friend if she knew anything of the fae, and she had replied by telling him of many stories. These became the closest thing he had ever known to bedtime stories. They had many mysterious and powerful figures in them. A giant of a man with a massive club. A great warrior and leader with a silver arm. A master of many skills, who slew a one-eyed giant. Or, most of all, a mysterious phantom woman, fierce, powerful, deadly.  
All these tales and more, the crow told him through images and emotions. He adored every one of them, and strived to be like the great heroes of the stories. During the waking hours, he would fashion himself a makeshift weapon from a fallen branch and attempt to reenact the actions of the warriors from the stories. His Crow-Friend would help him, when she was there, by correcting him on his stance and his movements through images.  
He mostly practiced with a fake sword, but he was also quite skilled in using a spear. It felt good, to know that now he could defend himself. No longer would anyone beat him for who he was. No longer would he be weak. The scared little boy under the stairs was gone. Now, he was the defender of nature, the protector of the earth. And he would not let anyone or anything hurt what he loved.  
As he returned to his forest, he looked down at his bare feet. They were quite dirty, as was the rest of him. It had been a long time since the last time he had washed himself in the lake, and he supposed he should at least try to make himself look presentable. Not that he cared for the opinions of humans, but he found they were more agreeable if he was not covered in dirt and grime. The only times he ever bathed were when he needed to go into the town to earn more money.  
In resignation, he sighed and walked to the lake. He quickly discarded his clothes and put his new shoes and socks next to them. He submerged himself in the cool water and proceeded to wash away the dirt from his body.  
He ran his fingers through his hair to brush out the dirt, branches and leaves that had gotten court up in it. Once he was done, he looked at himself in the reflection of the water.  
The light of the moon assisted in lighting up his features. His physical body had changed greatly during the past three years. While he was still smaller than he would have liked, he had developed some muscles, giving him a lean build. His hair had also changed. Where once it had been as black as midnight, now it was a deep red the colour of blood. Back at the Dursleys they had attempted several times to tame the wild mess atop his head. They had never let it grow out, as they saw boys with long hair as strange. And heaven forbid anything strange happen to the Dursleys.  
He had not had a single haircut in three years, and it showed. His hair now fell to slightly past his shoulders. He had not bothered with modern cosmetics, preferring to allow the natural oils to remain. This, combined with the new length, led to his hair actually becoming manageable. His hair now fell in waves, and he loved it. Having long flowing hair made him feel free.  
The townspeople did not seem to have a problem with his hair. In fact, they actually believed that it made him seem more physically appealing. Not that Harry cared, but he found that the prettier he was, the more willing they were to pay him for his songs and poetry. He supposed that for once, the humans vanity served to help him.  
Finally, he was finished cleaning himself. He climbed out of the lake, collected his clothes and quickly washed them. Once this was done, he walked back to his camp, using magic to keep more dirt from gathering on his feet. Once he reached his camp, he lit a fire so he could dry quickly. He laid his clothes out to dry and then stretched his naked body in front of the blazing flames. His Crow-Friend flew down and landed on the ground next to him. He smiled.  
"So, I'm going to this Hogwarts." He began. "Will you be coming too?"  
He knew that his birds would be coming with him. They went wherever he went. But his Crow-Friend was another story. She was always coming and going. Sometimes she would leave for a few days, sometimes a few weeks. Harry didn't mind. She was a free being, and he would not dare try to chain her down. And while he had asked her only a few hours ago, he still wished to make sure. Part of him was still afraid that she would not follow him into society. She was a creature of nature, and she despised the pollution of humans as much as he did. He knew it would be cruel to force her to come with him, but part of him was also afraid of returning to the humans without her and her protective presence. Perhaps part of him was selfish, but he felt he needed the confirmation of her coming, just so he could feel safe.  
His fears however, were unnecessary, as she basically told him that, despite the new location, the routine would stay the same, and that she would not abandon him just because of human society.   
Harry nodded.  
"Okay, thank you. I just needed to make sure that you were sure."  
His Crow-Friend sent him a slightly amused reply. He chuckled.  
"I know, I know."  
He was thankful that his Crow-Friend was more reliable than humans. He knew she would never leave him, even if she was absent for long periods of time.  
Eventually, both he and his clothes were dry. He proceeded to get dressed, but did not put on his new shoes and socks. He would put them on when he woke in the morning.  
He quickly put out his fire before climbing into his nest and laid down. His birds landed and rested themselves around his head. His Crow-Friend flew over and perched herself on the edge of the nest, right in front of his face.  
"Do you think he will come this year?" He asked. "Will he be able to find us, I mean?"  
She squawked in amusement.  
"Right, right." Harry said, laugher in his voice. "Great. It's a real shame we only see him once a year."  
He made himself comfortable in his nest.  
"Can you tell me a story?" He asked her.  
She asked him what he would like to hear that night. Harry smiled.  
"I know you don't like him all that much, but do you think you could tell me about the warrior with uncontrollable rage? It's just I find him so interesting."  
The crow ruffled her feathers, but agreed to his request.  
In a nest of old warn clothes and various broken twigs, surrounded by his birds, his friends, his family, being told tales of old, Harry Potter slept soundly.


	3. Returning to the human realm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Harry doesn't like what humans are doing to the earth and her creatures, Dumbledore's plans have a little hiccup, and Minerva doesn't care how early in the afternoon it is, she is going to have a drink.

Chapter 3:

Harry woke the next morning to find that his Crow-Friend was gone. He was not surprised. She was always coming and going as she pleased. He knew she would return. It could be as soon as a few hours, or as long as a few weeks. It did not matter, he knew she would come back to him.  
After eating some berries from his food stores, he begrudgingly put on the shoes and socks he had bought the previous night. He had forgotten how uncomfortable socks could be. His toes felt restricted, and it took some getting used to.  
It was even worse with the shoes. The second he put them on, he could feel his connection to the earth weakening. He could still feel her, but it was harder than he was used to.  
However, this was the unfortunate sacrifice he had to make if he wanted to go to Hogwarts. He had to remind himself that it would be worth it, as he would be learning magic that could help him protect the earth.  
He walked to the edge of the forest, where he had arranged to meet the witch-woman Professor McGonagall. He perched himself in the high branch of a tree, his birds hovering around his head, and waited.  
He did not have to wait long. Just as the sun fully emerged from the horizon, he heard a sudden crack. Professor McGonagall now stood on the edge of his forest, looking around herself cautiously.  
"Good morning Professor." He said clearly.  
The woman drew her wand, obviously startled. Then, she put it away as soon as she looked up and saw him.  
"Mr Potter." She greeted.  
Harry dropped down from the tree, his birds following him.  
"I have been thinking of what we discussed." He began.  
"And?" The witch-woman asked.  
"And I have decided I shall come to this Hogwarts." He replied.  
McGonagall's lips twitched in a relieved smile.  
"Thank you." She said.  
Harry nodded.  
"So, how will we be getting my supplies?" He asked.  
"I shall take you to Diagon Alley, our main shopping district." She began.  
Harry raised an eyebrow.  
"Now?"  
"Yes." McGonagall replied. "Are you ready?"  
Harry nodded.  
"I bought shoes for the occasion." He replied, gesturing to his feet.  
McGonagall frowned, but did not comment.  
"Come along then." She said, gesturing for him to approach her.  
Harry stepped to her cautiously. He did not have very many good experiences when it came to close proximity with humans.  
"Hold on." She said, extending her elbow.  
"What are you doing?" He asked.  
"I intend to travel using apparition." She explained.  
Harry frowned.  
"Is this the method that you used to suddenly appear in my forest?"  
McGonagall nodded.  
After some hesitation, he grabbed onto the woman's elbow. His birds perched themselves into his hair.  
"Are you ready?" McGonagall asked.  
Harry nodded.  
And with that, they were off.

Harry did not know what disgusted him more, the sudden feeling of being squeezed through a very tight tube, or the location that he appeared in. After stumbling for a few seconds, he blinked and realised that he was in the middle of a city. From the little information he got from his strained connection to the earth, he guessed it was London.  
It was absolutely disgusting.  
The air suffocated him with the level of pollution that floated in it. The noise of the people and the vehicles was overwhelming. And the earth here... Harry could barely feel it beneath him. But from the little he could feel, it made his veins course with anger.  
The earth here was chained, imprisoned under layer upon layer of cement and stone. Violated with underground pipes and tunnels.  
It took him a long time to compose himself. He had to remind himself that he would fix this in all due time. Soon, he would have the power to heal the earth and rid her of the taint the humans had spread.  
"Mr Potter?"  
He turned to see that McGonagall was staring at him.  
"Are you alright? I know that the first time can be hard..."  
"It is not the apparition itself that has made me sick." He replied. "It is the environment we are currently in."  
He gestured around them.  
"Look at this. Do you not see what humans have done to this place?"  
McGonagall's lips narrowed.  
"I understand how you feel. However, I am afraid we must be off to Diagon Alley."  
After a few more seconds, he followed McGonagall down the streets. On the way, he glared at a child who was about to throw a sweet wrapper on the ground. He smirked in satisfaction when the child quickly put it in the bin that was only a few metres away from him.  
Thankfully, McGonagall did not seem to notice this silent exchange.  
After a few minutes of walking, they arrived at a very dingy pub. It did not seem that anyone besides the two of them could see it. Harry could sense magic coming from it, and he supposed that it was concealed in some way.  
McGonagall led him through the pub.  
"This is called the Leaky Cauldron." She told him quietly. "This is the entrance to diagon Alley that is mostly used by those who live in the non-magical world."  
Harry nodded.  
McGonagall led him through the back into an alley with a brick wall and a dustbin. She drew her wand and tapped a select number of bricks. After she completed the sequence, the bricks moved to form an archway. She quickly led him through it.  
Harry sucked in a deep breath. While he could still smell some of the pollution from the non-magical world, it was weaker here. The earth was still imprisoned under layers of cobblestones. And then, there was something... Else. Something or someone had burrowed underneath the earth. He could not get a clear picture of the complete damage, unfortunately.  
He turned his attention to the alley itself. Shops stood on either side, none looking the same as the others. He could sense magic coming from the buildings. The alley was saturated in magic. Harry could feel it. Magic both old and young surrounded him.  
However, it seemed somehow... Restricted. He did not know how or why. It just did.  
He was flicking his gaze from one shop to the other, when he froze in his tracks. McGonagall noticed him no longer following her, and so she turned.  
"Mr Potter?" She asked.  
Harry's gaze did not turn to her. His eyes were fixed on the shop they were currently passing.  
The Magical menagerie.  
A prison... No, a slave market, for magical animals of different kinds. He could sense them all. Caged, imprisoned, awaiting someone to buy them, and hoping that whomever does choose them will not be too cruel.  
He clenched his fists.  
His gaze flicked to another shop close by. This one was called "Eeylops Owl Emporium". Another slave market, only this specializing in owls.  
Such concepts disgusted him to no end. He despised the concept of pets. Yes, he was constantly accompanied by birds. But they were not his pets, they were his friends. They were free creatures, just like him. Not like those sorry creatures the humans called pets.  
He remembered seeing dogs chained in yards. He remembered seeing birds in cages. He remembered the old lady who used to live down the street, Mrs Fig, with her cats.  
He remembered the cupboard under the stairs... The feeling of imprisonment. The constant denial of freedom...  
"Mr Potter?"  
Harry snapped out of his thoughts and looked up to see McGonagall, her face full of concern.  
"I am fine." He said. "Let's keep going."  
She studied him for a few seconds. However, she then began walking again.  
Soon, she had led him to a large marble building, it's doors flanked by strange creatures.  
"This is Gringgotts." She said quietly. "This is where we store our money. It is run by goblins."  
Goblins. So that was what these creatures were.  
As they passed through the doors into the wizard bank, he studied the goblins carefully. At first glance, they seemed harmless. However, after further inspection, he could tell they must be fine warriors. He would have to be very careful around them.  
He and McGonagall walked up to one of the Goblin tellers.  
"Excuse me?" The witch asked.  
After a few seconds, the goblin looked up at them.  
"Yes?"  
"I am here to withdraw some money from Mr Harry Potter's vault." She replied crisply.  
"And do either you or Mr Potter have his key?" The goblin asked.  
From a pocket within her robes, McGonagall withdrew a key and placed it upon the desk. The goblin studied it for a few seconds, before handing it back to McGonagall, obviously satisfied.  
The goblin called for another goblin and soon they were led through a door.

Harry quickly discovered what had been under the earth. Tunnels. Hundreds, possibly thousands, of tunnels.  
They had hollowed out the earth beneath Diagon Alley and most likely a great amount of London, to create vaults to store gold. More than that, they dug deeper and deeper in the search for more gold. They had dug into the earth and had stolen her treasures, all because of some fabricated worth. In Harry's opinion, gold and silver were only so valuable because the humans made it so. Yes, some metals could be used to make weapons and tools, but this was not what the humans now wanted them for. No, they wanted the metals of the earth to make their money.  
And yet, Harry wondered why these magicals did not simply ask the earth for metals. She is willing to give to those whom show her respect. Harry gave the earth all of his love and respect, for it was nature whom saved him from the darkness that had threatened to consume him. He swore to protect the earth, and in exchange she protected him.  
And yet, these people didn't. They only take and take, never giving back to the earth. And so they see fit to claim the metals of the earth by force.  
Mines disgusted him. They were yet another way for humans to steal from the earth. It was not enough that they imprisoned her under cement and stone, but they had to dig into her and steal her natural treasures.  
It took the entire cart ride down to his own vault to calm his thoughts. Once it was open, he was actually amazed at the contents.  
Mountains of gold, silver and bronze. Though he did not see the value in such shining metals, he knew the humans did. He imagined what the Dursleys would have thought, if they had seen such a large amount of money.  
McGonagall assisted him in filling a small pouch with some of the coins, explaining what each was worth. And what a currency system it was. He had to spend the entire trip back up to the surface trying to figure it out in his mind.  
He concluded that the people of this magic world were insane.  
McGonagall intended to go get his robes first. However, Harry took a slight detour.  
He knew he could not free all of them, not yet at least. He did not wish to cause trouble in this world, before he had even begun to learn how to harness his magic. So he unfortunately could not break the animals out of their cages. He was also unfortunately not able to purchase every single one of them.  
However, as he was passing the owl slave market, he felt something calling to him. He wandered in, McGonagall following quickly behind him.  
His feelings led him straight to one particular owl. A beautiful snowy white creature, her amber eyes staring straight at him from behind the bars of her cage.  
He reached out a finger and gently stroked her.  
"Hello." He whispered.  
The owl hooted. He felt some kind of connection to her, not like with his birds or with his Crow-Friend, but it was still something.  
"Mr Potter?" McGonagall asked from behind him.  
He turned to the magic-Woman.  
"i'm going to free her." He said.  
McGonagall blinked.  
"You mean you wish to buy this owl?"  
Harry scowled, but nodded.  
A was came up to them, obviously about to say something. However, before he could, Harry leveled him with a cold glare.  
"I intend to purchase this owl," He began. "However, I highly recommend you begin to better treat the rest of these fine creatures."  
"B... But," The man stuttered. "We here at Eeylops Owl Emporium treat our owls with the utmost care..."  
"Free them from their cages." He interrupted. "They are innocent creatures, not criminals."  
"Now see here..."  
Harry only continued to glare at him. The man gulped and nodded.

Five minutes later, Harry had his new Owl-Friend perched on his shoulder.  
"Was that truly necessary?" McGonagall asked.  
Harry stared straight into her eyes.  
"I hate seeing innocent creatures imprisoned." He said calmly. "Reminds me to much of the cupboard."  
McGonagall winced.  
"Very well," She began. "But could you please not intimidate people as you did back there?"  
Harry only grinned. He did not know why, but he seemed to have a talent for intimidating people. He appreciated this new skill, as it made him feel stronger. Now, he would no longer be bullied. He would no longer be the scared little boy. He would no longer be the victim.

Even before Harry entered the shop, he could sense the magic pouring out of it.  
Here, he would get his wand. A focus for his magic. Not that he needed one, but he would like to see what it was like to have one. Plus, it would be expected of him in the magic school.  
When he and McGonagall entered the wand-shop, there appeared to be no one there. He closed his eyes and sucked in a deep breath.  
He could sense the magic surrounding him. He could feel the wood of hundreds upon thousands of trees. All crafted into sticks, with a magical core, waiting for their destined wielder.  
He was broken from his thoughts when he could sense someone approach. He opened his eyes just in time to see an old man approaching.  
"Ah, Mr Potter," The man began.  
Harry raised an eyebrow.  
"Were you expecting me?" He asked.  
"Well, yes, indeed I was." The man, Olivander he presumed, replied. "Such a remarkable boy, defeating He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named... Though, I should not be surprised, considering..."  
He trailed off and was silent for a long time. Finally, McGonagall cleared her throat.  
"We would like to purchase Mr Potter's wand, Mr Olivander." She said.  
Olivander nodded.  
"Yes, yes, of course."  
After a long time of measuring Harry, Olivander began to hand him wand after wand. After every failed attempt, the man seemed to get more and more excited. At one point, he seemed to be very eager for him to try a holy and Phoenix feather wand, but this too did not work.  
"Curious." Olivander muttered. "Very curious. Perhaps... No, but maybe..."  
He went into the far back of the shop, and returned several minutes later with a very ornate and dusty box.  
"I crafted this wand several decades ago. Rather a strange design, however, it was requested by someone who claimed that this would one day be needed."  
Harry raised an eyebrow.  
"Who?"  
Olivander shuddered.  
"Oh, quite a mysterious and intimidating woman. And she came to me in the middle of Samhain of all times..."  
He trailed off again. After a few seconds of silence, he cleared his throat.  
"Anyway, about this wand. While usually I stick to only one wood pure wand, this particular one has three. Oak, ash, and thorn. And a rather unusual core, something that I do not usually use. The hair of a thestral. Rather hard to acquire, but not as painful as I feared the consequences of not completing this wand would have been."  
The old man reached out and handed the wand to Harry.  
Instantly, Harry felt a connection forming. It was as if he had found a part of himself that he had not even known he had been missing. Golden sparks began to shoot out of the end.  
Olivander clapped in joy.  
"Well, isn't this just marvelous!"  
Harry quickly paid for the wand. There was something about this man that unsettled him.  
He quickly left the shop, however, McGonagall remained for a few more seconds.  
"Mr Olivander?" The woman asked.  
"Oh, yes Professor McGonagall?" The old man asked.  
"Who exactly, was the woman who asked you to craft that wand?" She asked hesitantly.  
Olivander shook his head.  
"Quite a powerful woman." He replied. "I'd dare not disobey her."  
He stared straight into her eyes.  
"After all, it is not wise to cross the Phantom Queen."  
McGonagall shuddered and left the shop.

By the time Minerva had dropped Mr Potter off at the edge of the forest, it was just nearing the middle of the day. After she left him, she quickly disapparated back to the front gate of Hogwarts, just outside of it's wards. She quickly entered the grounds and strode to her office.  
She had just entered her office and was about to poor herself a large glass of fire-whisky. However, she was interrupted by a flash of flame. She looked to her desk to find that Albus had just left her a note, summoning her to his office. She sighed and put the fire-whisky down.  
Once she entered the office, Albus was smiling at her with the same twinkle in his eyes.  
"Ah, Minerva," He began cheerfully. "Please, take a seat. Lemon drop?"  
She took the offered seat, but refused the sweet.  
"You wanted to see me Albus?" She asked.  
Albus continued to smile at her.  
"How is young Mr Potter? I presume he is attending Hogwarts this year?"  
"Yes," McGonagall replied. "I have spent the entire morning helping him buy his supplies."  
"Wonderful." Albus replied. "Tell me, how did he go finding a wand? What kind chose him? No, let me guess, holy and Phoenix feather?"  
Minerva shook her head.  
"No." She replied. "A rather strange design with oak, ash and thorn."  
Albus frowned.  
"Truly? Are you certain?"  
"I was there when it happened." Minerva replied sternly.  
Albus raised a hand.  
"Ah, my apologies. I was merely asking to ensure you remembered correctly. But you are correct, of course. You were there, so therefore you would know better than I."  
Albus then sighed.  
"And what of the boy's living conditions?"  
Minerva shook her head.  
"I am afraid I cannot tell you that." She replied.  
Albus sighed again.  
"I am afraid that once he comes, we must encourage him to return to his relatives."  
"Why?" Minerva asked.  
"Because, he is not safe outside of his relatives house." He replied.  
Minerva scoffed.  
"He is not much more safer inside of that house either." She retorted. "Albus, I told you yesterday, they tried to beat him to death for defending himself."  
Albus only continued to look at her with a twinkle in his eye.  
"Be that as it may, we must still try to return him to his relatives." He argued. "I am sure that, once we sit down with them and talk through whatever problems they have, we can come to an arrangement."  
Minerva scoffed.  
"What danger could he possibly be in, that only his relatives could protect him from? After all, they are only muggles."  
"But they are also Lily's blood." Albus replied calmly. "And Lily sacrificed herself so the boy could live. Such powerful magic, it can create strong protections. But it can only manifest with those who share Lily Potter's blood."  
"But what is the power of Lily's blood protecting him from?" Minerva pressed.  
Albus sighed.  
"As you know, many of Voldemort's supports still walk free. They may target Mr Potter, as he was the one who defeated their master."  
"Well," Minerva began. "I believe that Mr Potter is safe where he is. After all, if you were unable to find him, then what chance do any of YOU-Know-Who's supports have?"  
She got up from her chair.  
"If that is all, I must be leaving. I have much to do before the beginning of the term." She said before leaving the headmaster's office.

The first thing she did upon returning to her office was to poor herself a large glass of fire-whisky. Merlin knew she needed it.  
There was just something about Harry Potter that... Unsettled her. He did not seem like a normal boy.  
He was a wild child, that much was certain. He cared more for the earth than for people. He seemed to despise all humans.  
She would have to fix this. Somehow, she would have to convince him that not all humans were bad. It would be hard, but she had to try.  
And then there was Albus. Oh, what was she going to do about him?  
He was determined to send the child back to his relatives, despite her telling him about how they almost beat the boy to death. But did Albus listen to her? No.  
Somehow, she doubted that Harry Potter would do anything that Albus Dumbledore told him to do. Though he was only an eleven year old boy, Minerva could find him quite frightening. His actions in the owl emporium were evidence enough. But how? How could a little boy be so intimidating?  
And then she remembered what Olivander had said. About how, decades ago, he had been approached by a woman on Samhain. A woman he had called "The Phantom Queen".  
Minerva shuddered. What did that particular being have to do with Harry Potter?  
Minerva continued to drink her fire-whisky.

Albus Dumbledore paced in his office, deep in thought.  
Three years ago, Harry Potter had gone missing. He did not know how, or why. Nor did he really care. All he cared that he was with his relatives.  
He needed the boy to be safe until he was able to come to Hogwarts. And once he came, Albus would beginning shaping him to be the perfect champion. He had already set up the first set of trials. The stone was safe in the chamber beneath the third floor corridor.  
Harry Potter would save the stone from the wraith of Voldemort, and once again be a hero. Albus would ensure it.  
There had already been a snare in his plans. The boy was supposed to wield the brother wand to Voldemort's. But not to worry, he was sure he could make do.  
And then, once Voldemort returned, Harry Potter would be the perfect champion of the light. He would fight against the Dark Lord.  
And when the time came, he would die killing the Dark Lord.  
Part of him thought that it was sad he had to use a young boy in such a way. And then he reminded himself that it was for the greater good.  
Albus shook his head and smiled to himself.  
Soon, his plans would properly begin.  
Out of sight of the old headmaster, a crow with fiery eyes watched him. This crow knew what the old human was planning. And she was not about to let any of this happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I went through hours, and I mean hours, of research involving tree lore and the symbology of different trees. After all that, I settled on a combernation of oak, ash, and thorn. Apparently these three are seen as a triad of fairy trees.  
> Well, thanks for reading!


	4. Flames and dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry meets a human-child with a love of fire. He also talks to the girl of his dreams. Literally.

Chapter 4:

Seamus Finigan was bored. This was not good. Whenever he was bored, things tended to catch fire, whether by accident or on purpose. But either way, he would most likely get into trouble.  
He didn't want to be bored, but he couldn't exactly help it. Only a week ago, he and his Mam had gone to get his school supplies for his first year at Hogwarts. He had been excited to go home and try out some spells. Mostly the ones that involved setting things on fire, but hey, at least he might learn to control his fiery magic so he didn't get into trouble, right?  
Unfortunately, before he could try out anything, his parents decided to pay his uncle Riley a visit.  
It wasn't that he didn't like his uncle, he did, really. It was just that Uncle Riley was his Dad's brother, meaning that he was a muggle. Meaning, no magic around him.  
The man was okay, a bit boring, always talking with Seamus's parents and the rest of the adults. He lived in a small town in the middle of nowhere. There was not much to do besides reading. But Seamus did not like reading. He was a boy of action, admittedly mostly fiery action, but still... He needed to be active, which meant he would rather not sit around and read all day.  
He could always go out and explore the near by forest, but for some reason the adults were very superstitious about the forest. They tried to hide it from him, but Seamus still heard the whispers.  
Still, he loved exploring nature. And he was bored. Unless he did something, then things would start burning.  
So he walked up to his Mam, who was talking with some of the adults from the town, including Uncle Riley, and he asked her.  
"Mam?"  
His Mam and the adults turned to him.  
"Yes Seamus?"  
"I'm bored, can I go exploring?"  
His Mam pursed her lips. She was obviously thinking about what was more dangerous, the outside world, or Seamus being bored.  
"I won't be out too late." He added.  
After a few more seconds of thought, his Mam finally nodded.  
"As long as you are not out too late." She said slowly.  
Seamus nodded happily.  
"I won't, thanks."  
And with that, he ran out the door. He thought he heard Uncle Riley telling his Mam she shouldn't have let him go, but Seamus didn't care. He just felt so free.

He reached the edge of the forest and sat down against a tree. He took his wand out of his pocket and admired it. He quickly looked around, confirming that no one was around, before concentrating on a bunch of fallen leaves. He gathered them into a small pile, before focusing his magic. He spoke the magic spell.  
"Incendio."  
After a few more tries, a stream of fire came from his wand. Instantly, the leaves court fire. Great, now all he needed to do was control it.  
He focused, straining his mind.  
But unfortunately, he could not seem to control the fire. Thankfully, he could stop it from streaming out of his wand. However, the flames that remained quickly began to spread out of his control.  
"No, no." He said, standing up.  
He tried to pat out the fire, but it only spread more. Suddenly, he heard a musical chuckle from the trees.  
"You're doing it wrong."  
Suddenly, a boy no older than he was jumped out of the trees.   
Seamus could immediately sense this boy was not normal. There was just something, strange about him. His eyes shone with a strange light. He emitted an energy that just seemed, wild, ancient.  
And then, of course, there were the four birds that hovered around his head.  
"Errr, hello?" He said hesitantly.  
The boy only stared at him silently, before walking straight past him to where the fire was spreading. The boy gathered the flames into his hands as if they weren't something that could seriously hurt you. Seamus was amazed. However, he could see that the boy's face was straining. He heard him gasp, before blowing on the gathered flames, extinguishing them immediately. Seamus could now see some burn marks on the boy's hands, though they were not as bad as he expected.  
"Guess I shouldn't have done that." The boy said, chuckling. "Crow-Friend's going to kill me."  
"Errr." Seamus said, trying to make sense of what had just happened.  
The boy turned to him.  
"Are you okay?" Seamus asked.  
The boy blinked.  
"Yeah, nothing a bit of magic can't fix."  
Seamus heard some shuffling, and he looked down to realise that the boy was not wearing any shoes. However, his attention was quickly drawn back to the boy's hands, which were healing rapidly. Soon, there were only faint scars to suggest that there had ever been any injuries.  
"How did you do that?" He asked.  
The boy blinked.  
"Magic, of course." He replied. "You should know about magic. You are a magic-child, right?"  
"How did you know that?" Seamus asked.  
The boy gestured to Seamus's hand, where he still held his wand. And then he gestured to the now burnt leaves.  
"Oh." Seamus said simply.  
The boy smiled, amused.  
"But how did you do that, without any wand or magic spell?" Seamus pressed on.  
The boy laughed.  
"I know magic far older than your silly little sticks." He said.  
Seamus blinked. Then, it dawned on him. He had heard his Uncle Riley and the other adults talking about this creature before, but he had never thought it was true. And yet, hear was the proof that the rumours were true.  
"You're the fae-child." He said in disbelief.  
The boy tilted his head curiously.  
"Yes, that is one name that the people of this town call me." He began. "But you are not a child of this town, are you?"  
"No." Seamus replied. "Me Dad Mam and me are just visiting me Uncle."  
The boy stared at him.  
"Who are you?"  
"Seamus." He replied before he could think.  
The boy smiled.  
"Well Seamus, it is nice to meet you." He began. "I am Harry."  
Seamus blinked. That was not the name he thought a fae-child would have.  
"Are you really a fae-child?" He asked.  
Harry shrugged.  
"Maybe, maybe not. It does not matter. I know who I am."  
"Who?" He asked, half curious and half terrified.  
"I am a child of nature, and her guardian." Harry replied. "I protect this forest, and one day, the entire world."  
"Protect them from what?"  
Harry gestured around them.  
"From the pollution of humanity."  
Seamus shuddered.  
"Are you going to hurt me?"  
Harry studied him for a long time.  
"Depends, are you planning on hurting the earth, besides accidentally starting any forest-fires?"  
"No." Seamus replied. "I love the outdoors, and nature and stuff."  
Harry's smile widened.  
"Well then, for now, you have no reason to fear me."  
Seamus sighed in relief.  
"I will be attending Hogwarts this year." Harry continued. "I assume that you will be coming too?"  
"Yes." Seamus replied.  
"Well then, I look forward to seeing you there."  
And, before Seamus could blink, the mysterious boy disappeared. It took him a few seconds to register what had just happened. Then, he was running back to Uncle Riley's house.

Riley Finigan did not consider himself a superstitious man. However, he, like the rest of the town, knew the dangers of letting anyone, let alone a child, out by themselves, even during the day. So he was rightly concerned when his sister-in-law, Katelyn told her eleven-year-old son he could go out and play.  
"Yeah shouldn't have done that Kate." He said quietly. "There are dangers out there."  
Katelyn only waved him away.  
"Don't worry Riley." She said. "Seamus will be alright."  
Just under an hour later, Seamus came bursting into his house, out of breath and excited.  
"Uncle Riley, Uncle Riley!" He said, running towards him.  
"Calm down lad, what happened?" He asked.  
The boy was smiling from ear to ear. Riley looked to his brother, Archie, but the man only shrugged.  
"Guess what." Seamus began.  
"What?" Riley asked.  
"I saw the fae-child."  
Riley blinked in shock. Archie only laughed.  
"That's very funny."  
"I'm serious." Seamus argued. "I saw him. And he was just like Uncle Riley said he looked like. With birds and everything."  
Riley froze. He remembered all too well the first time that mysterious child appeared.  
He had been walking home late one night, when he heard a haunting voice. He had not been the only one. Many more people, like he, followed the sound of the voice. They had all been surprised to see a lone child, only appearing about five or six.  
Birds had hovered around his head, but he hardly seemed to notice. He was too busy talking. No, reciting. He told a story like the bards of old.  
In his words he wove the tale of a little boy, starving for some form of affection. It was both haunting and heartbreaking. He, like many others, wanted to reach out, to sooth the boy's pain.  
However, something was stopping them. An unspoken rule that they were not to go anywhere near him.  
But that did not stop people from trying.  
However, anyone who came close would have to contend with the birds. They would swoop upon anyone who came near the boy. The only times someone was allowed to approach was to put some money into a small pouch by the boy's side. Riley had been one of them.  
When the boy finished, he had disappeared just as quickly and and mysteriously as he had arrived. Riley, like the rest of the townspeople, had been shocked. They had just stood there for a long time, just staring at where the boy had once been.  
At first, everyone was not sure if the child had been real, or if it had just been a dream.  
However, the very next day, some clothes had gone missing from one of the local shops, with some money left on the counter. And then, they had to admit that the child was real, as he appeared again, wearing the clothes that had been reported missing, only more warn and torn.  
It was at this point that rumours started to spread. First people asked who exactly the boy was. A question that none could answer.  
It took several more visits for the town to accept that the child was just not normal. His voice was beautiful, enchanting, otherworldly. And they were all under his spell.  
Many believed the child was an angel. Many more feared he was a demon. Many prayers, either in thanks or asking for forgiveness and protection, were spoken after the child's visits.  
But Riley, like many others, believed the child to be one of the fair-folk.  
He knew the old stories. Of how the fae lived in mounds under the hills and of how they would tempt mortals into entering there realm, where centuries could pass like a day. The fae were powerful and dangerous.  
So he was both shocked and horrified to hear that his young nephew had encountered the fae-child.  
"Are you sure?" He asked, concern lacing his tone.  
Seamus nodded, seemingly oblivious to the man's concern.  
"Yeah."  
Riley grasped the boy's shoulders.  
"Listen to me Seamus." He said seriously. "That creature is dangerous. I don't want yeh looking for him."  
Seamus frowned.  
"He didn't seem dangerous to me." The child argued.  
"Just... Don't." Riley replied.  
The child only shrugged before leaving the room. Riley turned to his brother.  
"Archie, best put some iron around that lad's room." He said.  
"Riley, I really don't think there's anything to worry about." Archie argued.  
Riley shook his head.  
"You've never been under the fae-Child's spell."  
Archie scoffed.  
"Oh, you have no idea."  
"What?"  
"Nothing, nothing." Archie said quickly.  
Riley frowned, before shrugging and going off to find some iron to put around that foolish boy's room. And maybe some more to put around the house. Anything to ward off the fae.

Harry sat in his nest, looking at his Crow-Friend.  
"Why did you want me to talk to that magic-child?" He asked.  
His Crow-Friend sent him a reply. Harry scoffed.  
"You want me to make a friend of a human?" He asked skeptically.  
The crow sent him a reply. Harry shook his head.  
"I know, it would be good to have at least someone in this new environment, but seriously? That boy could have started a serious fire if I hadn't stopped it."  
The crow squawked.  
"Hey, I already said I was sorry about the hands, okay?"  
His new Owl-Friend hooted in amusement. He turned his attention to her.  
It had been only a couple of days since he had gone to Diagon Ally with McGonagall. He had been reading through some of his text books. It had been a long while since he had read anything, so it was at first hard for him. However, he quickly adjusted.  
Back with the Dursleys, he had been forced to dumb himself down so as to not get into trouble for being better than Dudley. Not that it was hard to be smarter than Dudley. The boy was as dumb as a pile of bricks, and that was an insult to bricks. Now however, he quite enjoyed learning about this wizard-magic. He particularly enjoyed reading about all the magical plants, and how many of them were used in concoctions called potions. He found both subjects quite interesting.  
He looked at his Owl-Friend again.  
"You'll need a name, won't you?" He said quietly.  
His other bird friends had no names. He knew that his Crow-Friend must have a name, but she had for some reason never given it to him. His birds were a part of him, so it would be a little strange to give them names of their own.  
But this one was different. It felt only right that she'd have a name. After a few seconds of thought, Harry finally spoke.  
"Hedwig." He said quietly. "Does that sound fine to you?"  
The owl hooted. Harry smiled.  
"Well then, Hedwig it is."  
He leant back in his nest. Sleep came quickly to him.

He dreamt he was sitting by the lake. It was a starry night, and the moon was reflecting off of the water. It was peaceful, beautiful.  
Then, Harry could sense a new presence. He turned to see... Her.  
She had been a constant visitor in his dreams for years. And yet, he could never quite remember what she looked like upon awakening.  
He now turned to her.  
"Hello." He said.  
The girl smiled at him.  
"Hello." She said in return.  
Harry smiled.  
"How was your day?"  
The girl shrugged.  
"It was fine. How about you?"  
Harry shrugged.  
"I stopped a serious accident involving a fire-happy boy."  
The girl chuckled.  
"What will the story be tonight?" She asked.  
Harry smiled. The girl loved his stories. He would always retell the stories that his Crow-Friend would tell him. And sometimes, the girl would give him a story. And sometimes, they would even sing together.  
If this girl was real, she would be the only human he could actually like.  
That is, if she was human. Harry had no idea who or what she was. Every time either of them tried to say their names, the other could not hear it.  
At the end of the story, the girl sighed and flopped down on the ground. She gazed up at the stars. Harry lay next to her.  
"You okay?" He asked.  
The girl sighed again.  
"I'm sorry." She said. "It's just, something's been going through my mind a lot lately."  
"Oh?" Harry asked quizzically.  
The girl nodded.  
"I really shouldn't tell you," She began. "But, hey, it's just a dream, right?"  
She closed her eyes for a brief second.  
"In only a few weeks I'm starting at this school," She began.  
"And?" Harry asked.  
"It's not exactly... A normal school."  
Harry chuckled.  
"Who needs normal?" He asked. "And please, stop beating around the bush. I know it must be some kind of magic school."  
The girl blinked in surprise.  
"How?"  
Harry chuckled again.  
"I know you have magic." He replied. "I can sense it in your spirit, even if we only meet in dreams."  
The girl looked at him curiously.  
"So your... Your not freaked out that I'm... That I'm not normal?"  
Harry chuckled again.  
"You think you are strange? Believe me, I have seen stranger. Anyway, thinking your strange for having magic would be a bit hypocritical, considering that I also have magic."  
The girl chuckled.  
"Right, how stupid of me."  
Harry chuckled.  
"You're anything but stupid." He replied.  
The girl smiled.  
"And hey, maybe I'll be able to make some friends."  
She looked down.  
"But I don't know. What if these people don't like me too, all because I like reading."  
Harry looked at her seriously.  
"You'll have me."  
The girl shook her head.  
"You're only in my dreams."  
"Not necessarily." Harry retorted. "Tell me, the school you're going to, is it Hogwarts?"  
The girl blinked in surprise, but nodded.  
"Great." Harry said, smiling. "Because that's where I'm going to be starting this year."  
The girl smiled as well.  
"Maybe we'll be able to meet each other."  
"Yeah." Harry agreed. "It would be nice to see you face-to-face."  
"Yeah." The girl replied. "Nice to have a friend."  
And as Harry woke, he could feel a strange feeling in his heart. And he had the feeling that he would make friends at this school, and love it.  
Friends, that would be a strange concept. The only friends he had ever had were his birds. But now...  
He could potentially find the girl of his dreams, if he could even recognise her. The only thing he was going off of was her magic.  
But then there was the boy he had met only the day before. He seemed nice, and his Crow-Friend had told him that the boy would be his friend. He trusted his Crow-Friend. Even if he was still skeptical.  
But he had to hope. Maybe this wouldn't be like Privet Drive. Maybe, he could actually find somewhere to belong.  
He shook his head.  
No, he had found where he belonged. He belonged in nature. He was it's child, it's guardian. And humans were the ones hurting her.  
But a small part of him, long suppressed, still longed for the love and affection that he had always been denied.


	5. Going to magic school

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry goes to Hogwarts and meets some new human friends. Also, the first round of Dumbledore vs Harry, with some help from Minerva.

Chapter 5:

Early in the morning of the 1st of September, Harry collected the trunk he had packed the night before. His birds hovered around his head, his Crow-Friend sat on his left shoulder, and Hedwig on his right.  
"Are you ready?" He asked his friends.  
His birds chirped, Crow-Friend squawked, and Hedwig hooted.  
He nodded and sucked in a breath. He had been instructed to go to a train station called "King's Cross", where there would be a platform "Nine and three quarters", from which he had to catch the train that would take him to the school. He may not have known exactly where he was geographically, but he did know that King's Cross was in London, which was far away. So he could not simply walk there.  
No, he had to use a method that he rarely used, as it tended to drain his energy.  
He now stood on the bank of the lake. He sucked in one final breath to steady himself. He then grasped the handle of his trunk in one hand, and extended the other before him. With his fingers splayed out, he concentrated on the magic of the earth, telling her where he wanted to go.  
A mist began to roll in from the lake. Sweat began to appear on his forehead as the mist enveloped him, his friends, and his belongings.

He emerged on the bank of a river near London. He stumbled, weather from the strain on his magic, or the new environment, he did not know. The air was yet again full of pollution. He could yet again feel the pain of the earth. He wrinkled his nose in disgust as he saw how filthy the water in the river was.  
"Let us hope Hogwarts is not so heavily polluted." He muttered.  
Crow-Friend sent her agreement.  
Harry tightened his grip on his trunk and began to walk through the disgusting mass of toxic air and waste the humans called civilisation.

About an hour or so later, he found his way to King's Cross. He quickly weaved his way through the crowds. Many people stared at his gathering of birds, but he did not care. What did he care for the opinions of humans?  
He soon found himself staring at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. No sign of platform nine and three quarters.  
"What do you think?" He asked his Crow-Friend.  
She sent him a reply.  
"Yes, of course." He muttered. "They would use magic to conceal themselves."  
He breathed out and focused on the magic around him. He suppressed the overwhelming amount of pain he was receiving from the earth, as he felt it would distract him from his goal.  
Finally, he sensed something.  
He placed a hand on the barrier. His hand went straight through.  
He smiled. An allusion. This was actually clever. But what happens if a non-magical leans against the barrier? Do they fall through, or is it solid for them?  
Harry shook his head. There was time for such questions later.  
He slowly and casually walked through the barrier.  
Once he emerged on the other side, he saw a platform crowded with people, with magical animals, books, and families. For a second, he looked wistfully at the many families around him. Then, he shook his head. He proceeded to walk through the crowd to a large scarlet steam engine. He wrinkled his nose at the amount of smoke being emitted, but decided to ignore it for now.  
He quickly got his trunk onto the train and found an empty compartment. Once he had placed his trunk in the luggage racks, he looked out of the window at the many different families.  
Part of him wished he could have something like that. Parents who would give him tearful goodbyes and tell him to write every week. But then he shook his head. He had all the family he needed in his friends and in the earth.  
However, he remembered that his Crow-Friend was trying to encourage him to make new, human friends. His mind flicked back to the boy he had met in his forest.  
Immediately, he saw the sandy-haired boy out of the window. He was standing with two people, his parents, presumably. He decided to send one of his birds to retrieve him.  
His bird flew out of the window and to the boy, Seamus, his name was, and quickly landed on his shoulder. Seamus looked up, obviously startled. Then the bird flicked it's head towards where Harry was. Seamus followed the bird's gesture, and instantly smiled. He said a few final words to his parents, before grabbing his trunk and running onto the train.  
A minute or two later, the compartment door opened, and his bird instantly returned to it's place around his head. Seamus quickly followed. The boy was smiling from ear to ear.  
"I knew you were real." He said. "Mam told me that I had just imagined you, but I knew you were real."  
Harry smiled.  
"Need some help with that?"  
He assisted in lifting the trunk into the luggage wrack. They then both sat down, facing each other.  
"So," Harry began. "You told your family about me."  
"Errr, yeah." Seamus replied. "Sorry, I was just so excited because everyone around town kept talking about you... And I... Just got a bit overexcited."  
"That is fine." Harry said, smiling slightly. "At least they did not try to come after me, or my forest."  
"Because they're all afraid of you." Seamus retorted. "After I told Uncle Riley, he completely freaked out. He's even making me where this."  
The boy then drew out from within his shirt a metal disk attached to a chain.  
As soon as Harry saw it, he flinched back in both pain and fear. His Crow-Friend squawked on his shoulder.  
"What is that?" He breathed out.  
"Iron, I think." Seamus replied.  
"Get rid of it." He rasped.  
Seamus's eyes widened. The boy then quickly stood and put it in his trunk.  
As soon as the thing was put away, Harry let out a breath he had not known he had been holding.  
"Sorry." Seamus said, actually sounding genuine. "Uncle Riley just made me where it, but if you feel uncomfortable..."  
"It is fine." Harry interrupted. "You could not have known it would affect me so badly."  
Seamus shook his head.  
"No, of course not." He replied. "I don't want to hurt anyone, including you."  
Harry chuckled.  
"I just hope you didn't get my Crow-Friend angry." He said, stroking the feathers of his Crow-Friend.  
Seamus looked to the crow, and then flinched back.  
"Is there something wrong?" Harry asked.  
Seamus shook his head.  
"N no." He stuttered. "It's just... That Crow's a bit scary."  
Harry chuckled.  
"Yes, she has that affect on people. But she won't hurt you, as long as you don't cross me." He said, smirking.  
Seamus shivered.  
"Right."  
Harry cleared his throat.  
"So, do you know anything about this Hogwarts?"

For the next hour or so, he and Seamus talked about various things, mostly concerning what Seamus knew of the wizarding World. Harry found himself very interested in this boy. He could sense something different about him. He did seem to actually like the earth. Perhaps he could influence this boy to actually respect nature and to not spread the pollution. Perhaps he could make a friend out of this human.  
After a few hours, they were interrupted by the door of the compartment opening. A rather pudgy boy now stood there, looking at them nervously.  
"Ex... Excuse me?" He stuttered. "I... I was just wondering if you you have seen a... A toad?"  
Harry and Seamus exchanged a look.  
"No." Harry replied.  
The boy let out a sob.  
"Gran's going to be so angry." He wailed. "She kept telling me that I should put him in some sort of cage, but I... I just couldn't stand seeing him l... Locked up like that."  
Harry straightened. He studied the boy intently.  
By the sound of it, this boy had a greater respect for nature, if his refusal to put his toad in a cage was any indication. He focused on the boy's magic, and sensed a love for the earth that could have rivaled his own, and that was saying something.  
He stood up.  
"I can help you." He offered. "As long as you continue to keep your toad out of a prison."  
The boy's eyes widened in joy.  
"Of course." He said, smiling.  
Harry closed his eyes. He focused his magic.  
"Does your toad have a name?" He asked.  
"Trevor." The boy replied.  
"And what is your name?"  
"M... my name is Neville." The boy, Neville, replied.  
Harry nodded. He continued to focus his magic, searching... Searching... Searching...  
He went through the minds of several animals, until he found the right one. He sent inquiries, before the toad replied. Harry then sent him images of how distressed Neville was. After a lot of discussion, he finally convinced the toad to come back. Finally, Harry opened his eyes.  
"He's coming." He said.  
"What?" Neville asked in surprise. "How?"  
Both Harry and Seamus grinned at each other. No doubt, the sandy-haired boy still believed him to be a "fae-child", and that he had used his fae powers.  
In only a minute or so, the toad, Trevor, had returned.  
"Trevor!" Neville exclaimed, before scooping his toad up in his pudgy hands. "Thank you." He said, turning to Harry.  
Harry smiled.  
"No problem." He said. "Though, Trevor may try to run again. You just need to make sure he does not come into contact with this woman with a stuffed vulture on her hat."  
Neville's face turned pink.  
"That's my gran."  
"Trevor's terrified of her." Harry explained. "That's why he ran off."  
"How do you know that?"  
Harry grinned.  
"Trust me, the needs of the creatures of nature are my specialty."  
Neville blinked, shook his head, and looked down at the toad in his hands.  
"Don't worry Trevor, she isn't anywhere near here." He said comfortingly.  
Harry looked to his Crow-Friend, who was sending him a message. Harry nodded. He then turned back to Neville.  
"Do you want to sit with us for the rest of the ride?" He offered. "If it's okay with Seamus, of course."  
Seamus nodded. Neville smiled.  
"Sure, I'll go and get my stuff. Oh, and there was this girl who was helping me. Maybe she'd like to come too."  
Neville left and then returned a few minutes later, with a trunk and a girl with bushy brown hair. Harry looked at her, and something seemed familiar.  
"Hey." Seamus said. "Need some help with those trunks?"  
He got up and helped Neville with his and the girl's trunks. Harry and the girl looked at each other. After a few seconds of awkwardness, he cleared his throat.  
"Hello." He said, for some reason hesitant.  
The girl blinked, surprise flashing in her eyes. Then, she replied.  
"Hello."  
Harry felt a jolt run through him. He knew this voice. He had heard it many times before.  
This was the girl. The girl he had been dreaming about for years.  
"You." He breathed. "You... Your..."  
"Shhh." The girl said, her eyes darting around. "Let's talk about this later, in private."  
"Is there something wrong?" Seamus asked.  
"No." He and the girl replied at the same time.  
The other two looked at them, but sat down without commenting. The girl sat beside him, while Neville took a seat next to Seamus.  
"So," She began. "I'm Hermione Granger. And you are?"  
"Seamus Finigan." Seamus replied.  
"Harry Potter."  
Instantly, all three were staring at him in shock.  
"What?" He asked. "Was it something I said?"  
"You... Your Harry Potter?" Neville stuttered.  
He shrugged.  
"Yeah, and?"  
"And?" Hermione asked. "Do you even know how famous you are? You have been in so many books I've red in the last month alone..."  
Harry lifted a hand.  
"I'm going to stop you right there." He said. "Before you get stuck into believing any preconceived notions about me, I'm going to tell you that most of what you've heard is most likely false."  
"B... But..." Neville stuttered. "You... You defeated You-Know-Who, didn't you?"  
Harry sighed. Ever since McGonagall had told him about his fame in the Wizarding World, he had dreaded people discussing this very thing, and praising him for something he had no control over.  
"Let me remind you that I was a baby when it happened." He said. "I do not remember anything from that night, nor do I want to. I do not know if any of you remember this, but my parents died on that night. I would rather not remember the night I was orphaned."  
All three looked down, both Neville and Hermione looking pink. But then, Seamus looked up at him with wide eyes.  
"But what are you doing in a forest in the middle of nowhere Ireland?" He asked.  
Harry raised an eyebrow.  
"I live there."  
Seamus shook his head.  
"Rumour has it that you were hidden away and are being trained by the most powerful wizards, and being raised with loving relatives."  
Harry laughed out loud.  
"Raised... By loving..."  
He could not even say it with a straight face. After a few minutes of gasping, he managed to calm himself down.  
"Let me clear up a few things." He began. "Firstly, if my relatives were loving, I really don't want to know how it could have been worse..."  
"What do you mean?" Neville asked hesitantly.  
"Oh, lets see," He began. "Being constantly verbally and emotionally abused. Being told I was a freak who should have died in the car-crash with my parents. Being treated like a slave, even being forced to do all of the chores since I was five. Oh, and lets not forget the time they almost beat me to death for defending myself. So tell me, do you think that I was treated lovingly?"  
All three of them stared at him, wide eyed and pale.  
"I... I'm sorry." Hermione finally breathed out.  
Harry shrugged.  
"Don't be. If I hadn't been almost beaten to death, I wouldn't have gathered the courage to run away, and I would never have found my forest."  
He stared at the three humans.  
"And as for the other misconceptions, I didn't even know that I was a wizard until a month ago. I only knew that magic existed because of my Crow-Friend."  
It was then that Hermione and Neville noticed the crow on his shoulder. They both flinched back, just as Seamus had.  
"That... That's a..." Neville began.  
"... A very frightening crow." Hermione finished.  
Harry grinned.  
"Don't worry, she'll only hurt someone if they hurt me. The same goes for my birds." He added, gesturing to the birds hovering around his head.  
For a long time, the three humans only stared at Harry's gathering of birds. Finally, Harry cleared his throat and turned the conversation onto lighter topics.

For the rest of the journey, he found himself becoming closer to the other three. Seamus was amusing, and always had a witty comment to say. He was delighted to here Neville describing, in great detail, the many plants both magical and not at his home. Harry could sense that he too, could become a guardian of the earth. Seamus could as well, though it was not as obvious.  
However, the one who interested him the most was Hermione.  
They had both been sharing dreams for years, and they now met in the real world. But they could not talk in privacy, as they had two others in the compartment, and neither wished to dismiss the others.  
So Harry had to wait for the opportune moment.  
It was dark by the time they reached Hogwarts. Or, at least, a train station near Hogwarts.  
They were told to leave their belongings on the train, and they would be brought up to their rooms during the feast. Harry was a bit hesitant. He did not wish for anyone to rummage through his stuff. But after some reassurances from his Crow-Friend, he was calmer about the whole procedure.  
When they stepped out onto the station, he turned to Hedwig.  
"Do you want to find where you will be sleeping?" He asked.  
She hooted.  
"Okay, I'll see you later."  
And with that, Hedwig spread her wings and took off. However, his birds and his Crow-Friend remained.  
They followed the noise of someone calling for the first years. When he finally saw who it was, Harry was momentarily shock. He was a giant of a man. He remembered his Crow-Friend's tales about giants, often having only one eye, or who were missing an arm or a leg.  
But this one looked nothing like the giants. He looked large, hairy, and Harry had the feeling that despite his intimidating stature, the giant had a kind heart.  
They were led by the giant onto several small boats. They all got into the same boat, and soon they were gliding across the lake.

The journey across the lake was incredible. This lake was much larger than his own, and seemed much deeper. He could sense beings of magic living within it's depths. He looked forward to discovering every single one of them.  
When the castle came into view, he had to admit, it was a sight to behold. It was truly a brilliant work of art. It radiated magic. Very, very old magic. Not as old as his Crow-Friend, or as powerful, but still...  
For the first time, he felt as if he had made the right decision in coming to this school.  
Finally, they reached the other end of the lake. The giant led them up to the doors, where McGonagall was waiting for them. For a second, she glanced over to Harry, or more specifically, his Crow-Friend, but she did not say anything.  
Soon, she had led them into a side chamber, awaiting the sorting ceremony. Harry thought it was a little strange, that they would be separated, and by a mysterious means. After all, shouldn't a school be promoting unity? He just shrugged and chocked it up to the idiocy of humans.  
After a few minutes, McGonagall finally led them into the Great Hall, where the entire school was waiting.  
He was curious about how they would be sorted into the houses. They had discussed the four houses during the train ride, but none had known how they were sorted. All Harry knew was that he hoped not to be separated from his friends... Wait, what? Since when were they friends? Yes, he had become closer to them, and he could sense bonds only beginning to form, but still...  
The only one he'd consider a friend was Hermione, and that's only because he had technically known her for years. And if he was being honest, his feelings felt much different to that of a mere friendship. He did not know what it was, all he knew was that he could not put words to it.   
In any case, he did not wish to be separated from her. Or either of the boys.  
Once they were all led up to the front of the hall, McGonagall produced a hat and a stool. She placed the old looking hat on the stool, and everyone stared at it.  
He could sense old magic coming from the hat. It was powerful, and some how... Familiar. It felt similar to the magic of his Crow-Friend. He was immediately curious of it.  
And then, a rip opened on the brim of the hat, and it began to sing a song explaining the qualities of the four houses. When it finished, the entire hall applauded, though Harry thought the hat was a bit out of tune. Then McGonagall drew a long list of parchment, and she began to read out names.  
As the list was in alphabetical order, he was after all of his possible friends. So he watched as all of them were placed in the same house, Gryffindor. Good. It would be easier this way. All he needed was to get put into Gryffindor.  
When his name was finally called, he could hear the entire hall burst into curious whispers. He ignored them and only focused on the sorting hat.  
McGonagall placed it on his head, and the entire hall was blocked from his vision.  
[Well well.]  
A voice said in his head. Harry jerked in surprise, and attempted to mentally attack whatever was intruding upon his private thoughts.  
[Calm down, I mean you no harm.]  
The voice said, which he was presuming was the hat's.  
[I am merely going to examine your thoughts and emotions to determine where you should go.]  
[Fine.]  
Harry replied.  
[But if you find anything...]  
[Rest assured, I will not reveal any of your secrets.]  
The hat began to skim through his mind.  
[Well, I have not seen one of your kind in a long time.]  
[One of my kind?]  
He asked.  
[Oh yes.]  
The hat replied.  
[One of the people who enchanted me was one of your kind. But oh, I see, you do not know yet. I best not tell you, otherwise she will most definitely be angry. And she is not one to be angered.]  
The hat then continued to examine his mind.  
[Courage, I see. And a kind and loyal heart to those who have earned it. A sharp mind... But a lot of ambition. Yes, to protect the earth you love...]  
[I want to be with my friends.]  
He said.  
[Are you sure...?]  
[They are the only people in this entire hall I feel I can trust at the moment. Well, possibly excluding McGonagall.]  
[But you could...]  
Harry sent the hat his irritation.  
[Alright, alright. Fine. You are truly as frightening as your Mother. I do hope you are not as violent, otherwise we are all doomed. Nevertheless, let it be...] "Gryffindor!"  
The entire hall burst into applause, the hat was removed from his head, and Harry walked over to where his friends sat.

When the sorting was finished, food magically appeared on the pates and everyone began to eat. Harry had to admit, while it wasn't the best food he had ever had in the way of nutrition, it was still pretty good. He turned to his Crow-Friend.  
"Are you going to eat anything?"  
The crow squawked, before hopping off of his shoulder. She hopped to a platter of meat.  
"That is very unhygienic."  
Harry looked up to see a red-haired teen with horn rimmed glasses and an expression that made Harry think he had a stick up where the sun did not shine.  
"She is perfectly clean." Harry argued.  
The red-haired sniffed.  
"You should really keep your pet in a proper..."  
Harry leveled the teen with a glare.  
"She is not my pet, she is my friend. I do not barter in slaves. She is free to eat whatever she wishes. If you have a problem, discuss it with her."  
The red-head gulped, and flicked his gaze to the crow. She was obviously also glaring at him, as he then turned pale and looked away.  
Harry noticed a couple more red-heads who looked identical, and seemed to be related to the first red-head. They grinned at him in both amusement and satisfaction. Harry winked at them and turned back to his food.

After the feast, the old man at the front of the Hall, whom he presumed was the headmaster, Dumbledore, stood. He gave a speech concerning the rules of the school, and about this corridor that was out of bounds unless you wanted to suffer and painful death. Harry was instantly curious, as the man did not even give them a reason why it was forbidden.  
When the speech was finished, the headmaster called for the entire school to sing the Hogwarts song. He waved his wand in the air and words appeared in the air.  
As soon as the first few words began, Harry was covering his ears and ducking his head down.  
What the bloody hell was that meant to be? Surely not music. There was no proper tempo, everyone was singing at different times, and they were all terribly out of key. They did not even seem to be trying to sing in the same key. As a bard himself, or at least that was what he thought the word was, he was disgusted by the horrible excuse for music this school song was. It was a disgrace, and Harry had to resist the urge to leap up and tell everyone to shut up before they shattered all of the windows.  
Finally, mercifully, it was over. Harry sighed in relief.  
"I don't even know what that was supposed to be." He said.  
Hermione chuckled.  
"I know, that was really bad."  
Harry smiled.  
"You know, we should really talk..."  
"Later." Hermione interrupted. "They're beginning to take us up into the common-rooms. Maybe, when everyone is in bed."  
Harry nodded. He made to follow his friends out of the hall, but was stopped by McGonagall. The woman seemed annoyed, though not at him.  
"Mr Potter." She began. "Professor Dumbledore wishes to speak with you in his office."  
Harry shrugged.  
"I guess I'll see you later." He said to his friends.  
All three nodded. He turned to follow the woman to the headmaster's office.

Minerva led Mr Potter past the gargoyle, up the spiral staircase, and into the headmaster's office. She glanced at the boy to see he had brought the birds who always hovered around his head, as well as the crow that seemed so intimidating. She was momentarily terrified, but then thought that the majority of both the boy's and the crow's fury would most likely be on Albus. Considering her suspicions of the crow, she felt slightly sorry for him.  
Speaking of the man, he was sitting behind his desk, the usual twinkle in his eyes.  
"Harry, my dear boy..." He began.  
Harry glared at him.  
"I am not your anything." The boy spat.  
"I beg your pardon?"  
Harry continued to glare at him.  
"I do not wish to be addressed so familiarly by someone I do not even know. It's a little inappropriate, wouldn't you say?"  
For a second, the twinkle dimmed in Albus's eyes. However, it quickly returned.  
"My apologies, Mr Potter." He said. "Please, take a seat. You as well, Minerva. Lemon drop?"  
Potter remained standing, glaring at the headmaster.  
"You wanted to see me?"  
"Oh, yes." Albus replied. His expression then turned sad and slightly disappointed. "We have all been very worried, ever since you ran away from your relatives."  
Potter scoffed.  
"I bet you were." He muttered.  
"You really should not have done such a thing." Albus continued. "That is the only place where you are safe."  
Potter laughed.  
"I was safe there?" He asked sarcastically.  
"This is a serious matter Mr Potter." Albus insisted. "You must return to your relative where you will be safe..."  
Harry's glare towards the headmaster intensified.  
"I am never going back there." He said in a voice that sent shivers up her spine.  
"Now Mr Potter..." Albus began.  
"Do you know what they tried to do to me?" The boy hissed. "Abused me in almost every way possible, constantly told me I was a freak, and that I should be dead. Punished me whenever anything went wrong. Denied me the most simplest of needs, such as food, water, proper shelter, and most of all love. Treated me like a slave, forced me to cook, cleaning and do everything else for them while they sat around on their lazy ungrateful asses. They locked me in a cupboard under the stairs. They tried to beat me to death for defending myself. I am never going back there. I would rather die, then go back to that hellhole."  
Albus had gone pale, but he cleared his throat and only dug himself deeper.  
"Be that as it may, Mr Potter." He began. "I feel you still need to go back to your relatives. I feel that after some discussions..."  
"No, Albus." Minerva interrupted.  
Both the man and the boy turned to her. The crow still on Potter's shoulder eyed her curiously. Minerva only cleared her throat and continued.  
"I can not allow you to force Mr Potter back into an abusive environment."  
"Now Minerva..."  
"No." Minerva insisted. "They have treated him horribly, and I will not stand for it. By the sounds of it, they were trying to beat the magic out of him. Do you even know how dangerous it can be when a child suppresses their magic?"  
Albus's expression turned mournful, and the light completely left his eyes.  
"Believe me Minerva, I know this all too well." He muttered.  
He then cleared his throat again.  
"I still feel that..."  
"No." Minerva interrupted. "It is late, and Mr Potter has a busy day tomorrow. I should now escort him up to bed."  
And with that, she led Mr Potter from the headmaster's office. After a few minutes of walking, the boy spoke.  
"You defended me over Dumbledore in there." He said. "Why?"  
Minerva glanced at him.  
"I believe the headmaster is wrong. You should not be forced to go back to a place where you are obviously not safe. I have seen your forest, and I believe it is as safe a place as any for you. Especially with your Crow-Friend."  
Harry nodded.  
"Thank you. You are not bad, for a human."  
Minerva smiled.  
"If you have any problems, feel free to approach me."  
Potter nodded. The rest of the journey was in silence.

After McGonagall left him at the portrait hole, he spoke the password the woman had told him and stepped in.  
The room was full of furniture in varying shades of red. It gave him a warm, homely feeling, even if it was high from the earth. Light came from a blazing fire, and in the firelight he saw Hermione waiting for him on one of the couches. He walked over to her and sat down.  
"So." He began.  
"So." Hermione echoed.  
There was a moment of awkward silence.  
"So we finally meet somewhere that's not our dreams." He said.  
Hermione nodded.  
"I'm still surprised you're real." She said. "All this time, I thought you were all in my mind."  
Harry smiled.  
"Of course it was all in your mind. That's where dreams happen, after all." He replied. "But just because it's in your head, doesn't mean it's not real."  
Hermione nodded.  
"Do you know why we've been sharing dreams?"  
Harry shrugged.  
"Nope." He replied.  
Hermione frowned.  
"Do you know what could have caused it?"  
Harry frowned in concentration.  
"Well, I remember the first time I had a dream about you... I was six, and... And I was sad... I had just discovered the word love, and I had asked my relatives what it meant. They told me it was something I didn't deserve."  
"Everyone deserves love." Hermione said gently.  
Harry nodded.  
"Maybe that's why. Maybe, because I was sad and longing for love, my magic reached out to find someone who could... Help me."  
He shook his head to clear his thoughts.  
"I've found love now." He replied. "With my birds, and my Crow-Friend, and the earth."  
His birds flew from around his head towards Hermione. They began to flutter around her face and peck her gently. She began to giggle, and Harry could not help feeling his heart flutter.  
"And... I think I love you." He said gently.  
He still did not know what his feelings towards the literal girl of his dreams were, so maybe they could be love.  
Hermione frowned.  
"We barely know each other."  
"We've been talking to each other for years. Don't you remember all those conversations?"  
Hermione nodded.  
"I know so much about you. What you dream of, what you love, what you fear. And you know the same things about me." He urged.  
Hermione shook her head.  
"We only learnt each other's names today."  
"Names are not important in the realm of nature." He argued.  
Hermione shook her head.  
"Yes, I admit I do feel strangely close to you. But we're only eleven. Maybe wait a few years before proclaiming your love for me?"  
Harry chuckled.  
"Of course, I am patient."  
He then grinned.  
"But as soon as you are ready, I am going to warn you, I will praise you with either a song or a poem proclaiming my feelings to the world. I may even do both."  
Hermione's face turned pink.  
"I errr, think we should go to bed now." She said awkwardly. "Your dorm's over there."  
Harry chuckled and went up the staircase Hermione had indicated. Maybe Hogwarts wouldn't be that bad after all.


	6. Adjusting to humans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry's trying really, really hard to adjust to humans. Some parts are easy, others... Not so much.

Chapter 6:

Harry found it difficult, adjusting to humans. He was used to the peace and quiet of his forest, only occasionally going into the town when absolutely necessary.  
Now, he was expected to eat with humans, sleep with humans, learn with humans.  
It wouldn't have been that bad, only they all kept muttering behind his back.  
"Harry Potter..."  
"... Look, it's him..."  
"... Do you think he has the scar...?"  
"... What's with all those birds...?"  
He was thankful that not all the humans seemed that bad. His friendships with Seamus and Neville were growing, as was his strange connection with Hermione. He still did not completely understand what was between him and the girl, but he was still convinced he loved her. It was the only word he could find to describe how he felt. And why else would they have been drawn together in their dreams, if they were not meant to have this connection? However, he understood that Hermione felt they were both still too young, and he respected her opinion. So he could wait.

The classes themselves were a mixed bag, in his opinion. Some were good, others... Not so much.  
For example, Herbology was one of his instant favourites, and not just because of what the subject was about.

He had just left the castle and had walked down to the greenhouses with Seamus, Hermione and Neville. As soon as he stepped into the greenhouses, he could sense the multitude of plants around him. They somehow seemed more powerful, perhaps because they were magical.  
He turned to Neville, to see that the boy was smiling just as widely as he was.  
"Beautiful, isn't it?" He sighed.  
Neville only nodded.  
Harry sighed again and kicked off his shoes. Even through the fabric of his socks, he could feel the magic of the earth calling to him. It was like a warm embrace, the kind he had always longed for whenever he saw mothers holding their children. This was his home, in the midst of nature. The earth was his mother, as it was for all living creatures, and he was her child and guardian.  
He was broken out of his thoughts by the clearing of a throat.  
"Mr Potter, what are you doing?"  
He opened his eyes to see this subjects Professor... Sprout? Yes, Sprout, staring at him.  
"I was feeling the earth." He said, still a little delirious from the sudden influx of nature's energy.  
Sprout chuckled.  
"Well, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but do you think you could please put your shoes back on?"  
Harry reluctantly complied.  
For the rest of the lesson, Harry grew to like Sprout even more. He could tell she loved the earth, just as Neville did.  
Speaking of whom, Neville seemed to flourish in this subject like a flower after winter. The nervous boy he usually was melted away, and Harry could see the potential in this boy.  
Perhaps making friends wasn't that bad.

The only other lessons he could actually stand were Transfiguration and Charms.  
McGonagall was strict, but he could tell she actually did care for her students. He found the subject itself interesting, though he was a little uncomfortable to hear that they would be using live animals in their lessons. He feared hurting the creatures, however, McGonagall assured him that they would not feel any pain. Harry was still uncomfortable, but he was beginning to trust this woman.  
He was also fascinated by her transformation into a cat. His Crow-Friend had told him stories of people turning into animals. He wished to learn this trick, though McGonagall did say it was extremely difficult, and not something they would be learning. Still, he could not help but imagine himself turning into an animal, perhaps a bird, so he could fly with his friends.

Charms was also interesting. When the teacher, Flitwick, first red out his name, the small man actually fell off of the small stack of books he had to stand on. Harry thought it was a little overdramatic, but he did not comment.  
It was in this lesson, that Harry noticed something interesting.  
"Neville, what's wrong with your wand?" He asked his shy friend.  
"What?" Neville spluttered. "N.. Nothing. It's just..."  
Harry focused on the magic around Neville and the wand.  
"It doesn't agree with you." He said. "It's not connecting with your magic. Where did you get it from?"  
Neville frowned.  
"It was more... My dad's. G... Gran said that it worked perfectly well for him, so it should work for me."  
Harry's frown deepened.  
"That's not how magic works." He argued. "You need your own wand, one that can match with your natural magic."  
"B... But..."  
"You need to tell your Gran that you are your own person, and therefore, you need your own wand." Harry continued.  
Neville shuddered and shook his head.  
"I... I can't." He spluttered. "She... She's just s so scary."  
Harry grinned.  
"Not as scary as my Crow-Friend. Shall I have her send a letter to your Gran?"  
It was meant as a joke. After all, he had not seen his Crow-Friend since the beginning of term feast. And in any case, she was not some messenger bird. However, it still had the wanted effect.  
"N... No." Neville replied. "I... I'll send her a letter myself."  
Harry smiled in satisfaction.

The rest of the classes ranged from tolerable, to outright frustrating.  
He found himself bored during history of magic. The professor who taught the subject seemed to have literally bored himself to death, as he was a ghost, and what should have been interesting lectures on goblin rebellions were putting people to sleep.  
Astronomy was tolerable, at least the teacher seemed competent. Which was not what he could say for Defense Against the Dark Arts.  
Professor Quirrell was an honest idiot. He seemed afraid of his own shadow, and never gave them any proper lessons on how to actually defend against the dark arts.  
And there was another thing. What was exactly meant by "Defense Against the Dark Arts"? What were the dark arts exactly? What made them dark?  
In nature, there was no light or dark. The only thing that Harry could think of defending against were the humans, and he highly doubted they would be given lessons on that.  
And then there was Quirrell himself. There was something... Wrong, something... Tainted, around him, something corrupt, disgusting. Something that made Harry's skin crawl. The only word that he could think of that even came close to the thing around Quirrell was polluted, just as so much of the earth had become.

And then, there was potions. Oh, how he had hoped for this lesson. It seemed so promising.  
Only the teacher himself was not so promising.  
Professor Snape. A man who seemed determined to hate Harry, for no particular reason.

He remembered first walking down the stairs to the dungeons, where this lesson would be taking place. His birds seemed nervous. He stopped moving to make sure they were alright.  
"What's wrong?" He asked them.  
They nervously fluttered around his head.  
"Oh, I see." He continued. "Alright, if you want to."  
As his birds fluttered away, Hermione, Neville and Seamus stared at him.  
"What was that?" Seamus asked.  
"My birds don't like going underground." He replied. "While I love the earth, no matter how deep I go, they are creatures of the air. It would not be right to ask them to go underneath the ground."  
His three companions nodded.  
For the rest of the journey downwards, Harry found himself missing his birds. They were a part of him, and it felt strange for them to be apart. However, he would not force them to go somewhere where they were uncomfortable.  
It did not take him long to regret not following his birds.  
Once the bell rang and everyone was seated, the professor entered the room, his black robes dramatically billowing behind him.  
The man walked to the front of the room and began reading out the names of the students in attendance. When he reached Harry's name, a sneer crept onto his face.  
"Ah, yes." He said softly. "Harry Potter, our new... Celebrity."  
There were some snickers, but Harry ignored them.  
When Snape was finished taking attendance, he began a speech that gave Harry the distinct impression he was very passionate about the subject he taught. Well, at least that was something.  
His voice, the way he spoke, the pure love and passion behind his words, it drew the entire class in. Was this how the townspeople felt when Harry preformed? Harry could imagine this man writing poems about potions, and being rewarded with a fortune.  
That was, until he broke the spell by basically calling them all "Dunderheads".  
And then, he called him out from the rest of the class.  
"Potter!" He snapped suddenly. "What would I get if I added powered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"  
Harry blinked. He remembered this from the books. Now... What was it...?  
"The draught of living death." He replied.  
Snape did not comment, but instead asked another question.  
"Where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"  
A bezoar... A bezoar...  
?In the stomach of a goat." He replied. "Though, I do hope you do not have to kill the goat to get the stone. Seems like a horrible reason to kill any creature, just for some stone, even if it can cure most poisons."  
There were some snickers around the room, but Snape only replied with one final question.  
"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"  
"They are the same plant." He replied. This was the easiest of the questions. "And it's also known as aconite."  
Snape did not reply to him. He only glared around the room.  
"Why aren't you writing this down?"  
There was a sudden flurry of quills on parchment. Snape tapped his wand on the board, and words appeared, obviously the potion they were meant to make that day.  
Harry glanced at Hermione.  
"You take Neville, I'll take the pyromaniac." He said.  
Hermione frowned.  
"Are you sure?"  
Seamus had quickly become infamous for his tendency towards pyrotechnics, and it was a constant worry that things would burst into flames around him.  
Harry nodded.  
"Don't worry." He said.  
The girl nodded, though still seemed unsure.  
Hermione hesitantly began to work with Neville, while he began the task of ensuring Seamus did not blow up the dungeons because he got a little too fire-happy.  
Thankfully, nothing disastrous seemed to happen, and it was with a great sigh of relief that Harry left the dungeons. As soon as he reached the top of the stairs, his birds returned to him, and his spirits lightened.  
"Is it me, or does Snape hate me?" He mused.  
"He doesn't hate you." Hermione said.  
"He just hates everyone who isn't Slytherin." Seamus continued.  
Neville shuddered.  
"I think I am more willing to ask Gran for my own wand."  
Harry raised an eyebrow.  
"Why?"  
"Because Snape is actually scarier than her." Neville replied.  
Harry sent one of his birds to softly peck at the boy, in an attempt to cheer him up.  
"Don't worry," He began. "I won't let anything happen to you."  
Neville smiled.  
"Thanks."

That weekend, Neville left with a woman Harry presumed to be his Grandmother, obviously to find himself a proper wand. Neville was gone for the day, and Hermione and Seamus were both in the middle of homework. Seamus was forced to rewrite an entire assignment, as he had "Accidentally" burnt the last one.  
So Harry took this opportunity to explore the forest. He knew that it was forbidden, but as if he was going to be kept from a forest. It practically sang with magic, not exactly like his forest, but it was still powerful.  
Nothing seemed to stop him as he wandered through the trees. It was wild, free, beautiful. He could feel the earth and her magic singing within every tree, rock, and creature. This was where he felt at home. This was where he belonged.  
As he was wandering the forest, he came upon a creature with the appearance of a horse, but so much more beautiful. Silvery, with a horn on her head.  
A unicorn.  
Harry could feel her magic. It was pure, beautiful, loving. He slowly stepped forward. The unicorn looked up and met his eyes. She whinnied, but did not make to run. He continued towards her. When he reached her, he extended a hand and stroked her mane.  
"Do you like this?" He asked her gently.  
The unicorn whinnied. Harry smiled.  
"You do not have to worry about me." He said gently. "I am a guardian of the earth. I will not hurt you."  
His new Unicorn-Friend nuzzled him, making sure not to stab him with her horn. He laughed.  
Suddenly, the Unicorn knelt down. She sent him a message.  
"Are you sure?" He asked.  
The unicorn nodded.  
"Okay."  
He carefully climbed onto the unicorn's back. She rose to her full height, and they were off.  
The unicorn ran quickly through the forest. It was exhilarating to Harry. He could feel the blood singing in his veins.  
The forest flew past them, and Harry was loving every second of it.  
All too soon, the unicorn stopped, and Harry dismounted.  
"Thank you." He breathed. "I am truly honored."  
His Unicorn-Friend whinnied in reply.  
Suddenly, Harry heard snapping twigs. He turned around to see the giant-man who had escorted the first years across the lake.  
"Hey, wha ta ruddy hell are yeh doin?" The man asked.  
"Exploring the forest." Harry replied calmly.  
"This is tha forbidden forest, don' yeh remember?" The man argued.  
Harry raised an eyebrow.  
"Why is it forbidden?"  
"Cause it's dangerous." The man replied.  
Harry laughed.  
"No forest is dangerous for me." He said calmly. "I am a child of the forest, a guardian of the earth. There is nothing that is dangerous for me in these woods, or any. The domain of nature is my home."  
The man stared at him with narrowed eyes. Then, they widened.  
"Yeh Arry Potter." He gasped.  
Harry suppressed a gran.  
"Yes, and I would ask you to not overreact, please. I would rather not be treated as some sort of celebrity."  
The man nodded. He then looked to the unicorn behind him.  
"Ruddy hell." He gasped. "I've never seen a unicorn act like tha around humans, specially not boys."  
Harry grinned.  
"I'm no ordinary human boy." He replied. "As I said, I am a guardian of nature."  
The man chuckled.  
"Well, yeh seem like a good kid. Wanna come ta me hut for a cup o tea?"  
"I would," Harry replied. "Only I still don't know your name."  
"Oh, righ." The man said, chuckling awkwardly. "I'm Hagrid, the keeper of keys and grounds at Hogwarts."  
Harry smiled. He could tell he was going to like this Hagrid.  
They spent the rest of the afternoon talking in Hagrid's small hut. As it turned out, the giant loved all manner of creatures. He spoke at length about how much he had always wanted a dragon.  
Harry found himself enjoying all that the man had to say about magical creatures. It was nice, to see an adult who actually seemed to love earth's creatures as much as he himself did.

During the second week of the term, they had their first flying lesson. Harry was curious as to how exactly these people flew on brooms. Seamus seemed to love talking about it with him. These conversations quickly turned into the boy describing a sport called Quidditch.  
All Harry was fascinated with was the concept of flying. He longed to be able to explore the skies, just as his birds did.  
When the lesson came, they all stood in a line, facing the Slytherin students who they would be taking this lesson with. The teacher, Madame Hooch, gave them very strict instructions to listen to whatever she said and to not try anything without her approval.  
When they were told to summon their brooms to their hands, Harry's went into his straight away. However, he could not say the same for his friends. He could see Seamus's literally smoking, Hermione's kept rolling around, and Neville's did not move at all. He decided to help them, starting with the danger zone that was Seamus.  
Finally, when they all had their brooms in hand, they mounted according to Hooch's instructions.  
"Alright." The professor began. "When I count to three, you will kick off and hover a few feet from the ground. One, two..."  
Before she could say three, Neville kicked off of the ground, obvious terrified. He ascended rapidly, unable to control his broom.  
He fell off of the broom, and Harry rushed to catch him in his arms. The boy landed heavily, and his wait combined with the force of the fall caused Harry to fall. They both ended in a heap, and harry swore they had both broken at least a few bones.  
"Easy there boys." Madam hooch said, approaching them. "I'll take you both to the hospital wing."  
"No need." Harry said through gritted teeth.  
He kicked off his shoes and pressed his sock-covered feet to the ground. Even with the socks, he could still feel the magic of the earth and channel it through his body. He could sense that his arm was broken, and his ankle twisted. He used his magic to fix them both in only a few seconds.  
However, he could not do the same trick for Neville. He could heal wounded animals, but humans were another matter. He would feel more comfortable leaving Neville to someone with more experience.  
"Sorry Neville." He said as he got to his feet and helped his friend up. "I've never had to heal another human, and I don't want to risk it."  
"It's okay." Neville replied.  
Hooch turned to Harry.  
"Well, ten points to Gryffindor for breaking Longbottom's fall, Mr Potter. He might have gotten hurt a lot more if you hadn't helped."  
"It was nothing." Harry replied.  
Hooch then turned to the rest of the students.  
"No one is to leave the ground until I come back."  
And with that, she walked away, helping the injured Neville along.  
As soon as the teacher was gone, a blond-haired Slytherin who Harry recognised as Draco Malfoy walked over and picked something up from the ground. Harry recognised it as the rememberall that Neville's grandmother had given him just that morning.  
"Oh look," The blond sneered. "Longbottom's just dropped this."  
"Give it here Malfoy." Harry said.  
The boy sneered at Harry. He then picked up his broom.  
"Make me Potter."  
He then kicked off, ascending quickly.  
Harry followed him, not caring about the consequences.  
As soon as he left the ground, Harry felt a sudden thrill. It was the same feeling he got whenever he was in a forest. It was a feeling of homecoming, of joy, of freedom. It was as if he belonged in the air.  
He turned his attention back to Malfoy.  
"Give it back, Malfoy." He said.  
"Fine, come and get it!"  
Malfoy tossed the rememberall into the air and flew away.  
Harry quickly flew after it. It was falling to the ground, and he was flying to meet it. Closer, closer...  
He wrapped his fingers around the ball, and jumped off of his broom. He lifted the rememberall in one hand and the broom in the other in triumph. However, his victory did not last for long.  
"Mr Potter."  
They all turned to see Professor McGonagall approaching them. The students parted, and she walked straight up to him.  
"Come with me, now." She demanded.  
Harry handed the broom and the rememberall to Hermione, put his shoes back on, and followed the obviously angry professor. He actually felt slightly nervous.  
He soon learnt that he had nothing to fear. Apparently, McGonagall had been impressed by his flying, and now he had been put onto the Gryffindor Quidditch teem. While he did not find much entertainment in sports, he would find any excuse to fly again.

That evening, as he, Hermione and Seamus were eating dinner, Malfoy approached them, flank by his cronies Crabbe and Goyle.  
"You think your so special, don't you Potter." The boy spat.  
Harry raised an eyebrow.  
"No. I just know what I'm good at."  
The boy sneered.  
"We'll see just how brave you are. You and me, tonight, wizard's duel."  
Hermione gasped and Seamus spat out his food. Harry only continued to look at him unblinkingly.  
"Did you just challenge me to single combat?" He asked gently.  
He knew the concept of a duel. He remembered in one of the stories that his Crow-Friend told him, a warrior fought off an entire army by challenging them to single combat one at a time. He was surprised that Malfoy would be so bold.  
"Yes." Malfoy replied. "At midnight, in the trophy room."  
Harry nodded.  
"Fine then. Shall it be to the death, or only to first blood."  
Malfoy's eyes widened, and his face became slightly paler.  
"I errr... First blood." He spluttered.  
Harry nodded.  
"Fine then. I will see you then."  
After the Slytherins left, Seamus and Hermione turned to him.  
"Harry, are you insane?" Hermione demanded. "You could get into serious trouble."  
Harry shrugged.  
"Malfoy challenged me. I will merely show him what happens when you cross me."  
Hermione groaned, but Seamus laughed.  
"I want to come watch." He said.  
Harry grinned.  
"Go ahead."  
"Do you even know how to fight?" Hermione demanded.  
"Crow-Friend has shown me several battles in her stories, and I have tried my best in imitate them." Harry replied. "I also know some magic that can be affective, even if I won't be directly connected to the earth."  
Hermione sighed.  
"I might as well come too. Someone's got to keep you out of trouble."  
Harry smiled.

When they left the common-room that night, they found Neville huddled near the portrait hole. Apparently, he had forgotten the password again.  
"Come on Neville." Seamus said. "We're going to watch Harry kick Malfoy's ass."  
"What?" Neville asked.  
"He challenged me to a duel." Harry replied.  
"Yeah, and Harry's so going to make him regret it." Seamus said, snickering.  
Hermione only stood there, not sure if she should be concerned or frustrated.  
"Okay." Neville said, getting up.  
So the four of them went down to the trophy room.  
Only problem was that Malfoy did not show. Instead, they were forced to run away from the caretaker Filch.  
"Malfoy." Harry growled. "He was trying to get us into trouble."  
"Well," Hermione began. "I did say that he was..."  
"Shut up." Seamus muttered.  
They ended up running into a corridor and bumping into a locked door. With no other choice, Hermione unlocked it and they all ran in.  
Harry could sense another being in the room. He looked up to see a three-headed dog, all three heads staring at them.  
"Bloody hell." Seamus gasped.  
Neville only squeaked.  
Harry stepped forward, extending his hand.  
"Hey, easy there." He said gently.  
The dog growled, but then seemed to calm down. It let him approach it. Hesitantly, Harry extended his hand and stroked the central head. The dog began to pant happily. Harry chuckled.  
"There." He said. "There's no need to hurt us. Your sad, aren't you? Why are you all the way up here?"  
Harry was angry. Who would dare trap such a beautiful creature in a dark empty corridor?  
"Errr, Harry?" Hermione said hesitantly.  
Harry turned to her.  
"It's alright." He said. "He won't hurt you."  
"C... Can we go now, please." Neville stuttered. "I... I think Filch has left."  
Harry nodded.  
"I'll be back." He muttered to the three-headed dog before leaving.

When they finally reached the common-room, They all flopped into armchairs around the fire.  
"What a nightmare." Neville muttered.  
"I can't believe that Malfoy didn't show up." Harry said, still offended. "It is dishonorable to issue a challenge and then fail to show up. I shall have to confront him tomorrow."  
"Forget about Malfoy." Seamus said. "Why the bloody hell is there a three-headed dog in the school?"  
"It was guarding something, obvious." Hermione replied.  
The three boys turned to her.  
"Huh?" Harry asked.  
"That was obviously the forbidden third floor." She replied. "And didn't any of you see the trapdoor it was standing on?"  
"I was a bit too distracted with Harry thinking that the thing would make a good playmate." Seamus retorted.  
Harry shook his head.  
"It makes sense. It's just we don't know what it's guarding. It could very well be anything. The best we can do is go to bed and discuss it later."  
The other three complied and they all went to bed.

The next morning, he walked up to Malfoy at the Slytherin table.  
"What do you want Potter?" Malfoy demanded.  
Harry glared at him.  
"You tricked me." He said. "You challenged me to a duel, and then did not show yourself."  
Malfoy's smirk wavered at Harry's glare.  
"W... What are you going to do about it, Potter?" He stuttered.  
Harry smirked.  
"I am going to challenge you to a duel. Right here, right now."  
"B... But..." Malfoy spluttered.  
"What's wrong, scared?" Harry asked, his smirk widening. "It's either you duel me, or you would have brought dishonor upon yourself, your house and your family. You wouldn't want that, would you?"  
Malfoy only continued to splutter.   
"My father..." He tried to say.  
"Oh yes, I wonder how your father will react to you dishonoring your family." Harry said, his grin as sharp as a knife.  
He watched him, amused, until McGonagall approached them.  
"What is going on here?" She asked.  
"Malfoy dishonored our agreement last night when he did not show up for a duel he had challenged me to." Harry replied. "So now I'm challenging him to a duel, in front of the entire school."  
McGonagall frowned.  
"Is this truly necessary?" She asked.  
"Yes." Harry replied. "Malfoy should pay for his cowardice. He challenged me to a duel that he did not show up to, and he should face the consequences."  
McGonagall was silent for a long time. Then, finally she nodded.  
"Very well then. I will ask Professor Flitwick to assist in this, as he has experience in duels."  
Harry nodded.  
"But you are not to seriously hurt each other." She continued.  
"Fine." Harry replied.

The duel was underwhelming. They did it in the entrance hall, with some members of Gryffindor and Slytherin to bare witness, as well as Professors McGonagall, Flitwick and Snape. Malfoy stared at him in absolute terror. Flitwick counted down for them to begin. When they countdown was finished, Harry was instantly on the move.  
There had been no rules stating he couldn't use methods other than magic. And he took full advantage of this. Within five seconds, he had Malfoy pinned to the floor, with his arm against the boy's throat.  
"Alright, I yield." Malfoy gasped.  
Harry climbed off of him, a grin on his face. He looked over to see Snape glaring at him.  
"Potter!" He spat. "Twenty points from Gryffindor for attacking a student."  
"Excuse me Severus." McGonagall interjected. "But Mr Potter was only repaying Mr Malfoy for the latter not appearing after challenging Mr Potter to a duel. This was a fare fight, and I will be giving back those points."  
Snape muttered, but did not argue any further.

In the third week of term, Harry cornered Hermione in the library.  
"So," He began. "Happy birthday."  
Hermione blinked.  
"How do you..."  
"You told me in our shared dreams, remember?" Harry replied.  
"Oh, right."  
"What I want to know," Harry continued. "Is why you haven't made any effort to tell us."  
Hermione looked down.  
"My birthday's not really a big deal." She muttered. "I mean, my parents always throw me a party and give me sent and stuff... It's just... Not many people come for me."  
Harry put a hand under her chin and lifted her head to face him.  
"I want to celebrate the day you were born." He said.  
He then let her chin go and turned.  
"In fact, there is going to be a party right about now."  
"What?" Hermione asked in surprise.  
Harry grinned.  
"Follow me."

He led her out to the Lake. He sucked in a deep breath.  
"Harry, what are you doing?"  
"Take my hand." He said.  
"What?"  
"Just, take it."  
Hermione took his hand. He extended the other out to the lake. Mist began to roll in and envelop them. When the mist cleared, they had left all of Hogwarts behind.  
"Harry," Hermione gasped. "Where are we?"  
Harry smiled. He could feel energy returning to him.  
"This," He began. "Is my forest."  
"But..." Hermione began. "How?"  
Harry smirked.  
"Magic."  
Hermione looked around the forest, at the lake.  
"It's beautiful." She said.  
"I know." Harry replied.  
"Is... Is this the place from our dreams?"  
Harry nodded.  
He kicked off his shoes and rolled up his socks.  
"Take off your shoes. Come and feel the earth."  
Hermione stared at him for a long time, but finally took off her own footwear. They now both stood, barefoot, in the earth.  
"Now what?" Hermione asked.  
"Feel the earth." He said. "Feel her power. It's calling to you. Answer the call."  
"But how?" Hermione asked.  
"Just let go of your hesitation and focus on the magic and the power of nature."  
Hermione closed her eyes. Then, she opened them in surprise.  
"I can feel it." She gasped. "Wow, this is..."  
"Incredible." Harry said, smiling. "I know."  
Hermione closed her eyes again, and sucked in a breath. And again, she opened them and looked around in surprise.  
"Is... Is that music?" She asked.  
Harry nodded.  
"Don't ask me where it comes from. All I know is that it appears whenever something special is happening. This music is literally the only reason why I know when my birthday is."  
He held out a hand.  
"Dance with me."  
Hermione's eyes widened, if that was even possible at this point.  
"But I... I don't know how to dance."  
Harry's smile widened as he took her hand.  
"Dancing isn't something you learn, it's a form of expression. All you have to do is close your eyes and let the magic of the music guide you."  
"How?" She asked.  
Harry took her other hand.  
"Just close your eyes, and let yourself go. Let the energy flow through you. It's easy. Just trust me."  
Hermione closed her eyes and let out a breath. Harry too, closed his eyes and listened to the music.  
It was wild, ancient, free, as if the earth itself was singing. They both began to move, spin, kick, jump, the music filling them with itself own energy.  
Harry had no idea where the music came from. It was like it was there, but not. As if there was an invisible veil that cloaked him from wherever it was the music came from.  
Regardless of this, he could still feel the music within him. It was as if it were calling to his soul, to his magic. It made him think of great halls with people of otherworldly beauty, all dancing and singing. It was almost like the visions Crow-Friend gave him when she told her stories. He longed to walk among them. His very blood sang for them. But he couldn't. Something unknown to him was preventing him.  
As he danced with Hermione, he felt more complete. It was as if they belonged like this. He could dance like this forever, never tiring, always joyful.  
However, not even he could dance forever. Eventually, the music began to fade and they both opened their eyes. Hermione was panting, obviously exhausted, and he wasn't much better. However, she was also smiling widely.  
"That was incredible." She said.  
Harry returned the smile.  
"I know." He replied.  
He looked up to the sky.  
"Errr, I think we should go now." He said.  
Hermione followed his gaze.  
"Oh no, how late is it?" She gasped.  
Harry smiled sheepishly.  
"I think around midnight."  
Hermione's eyes widened in horror.  
"We are going to be in so much trouble."  
"Only if we get court." Harry said, grinning.  
Hermione shot him a frustrated glare.  
"Can you just do that mist thing you did before and send us back?"  
"Of course." He said, walking towards the lake.  
Again, she took his hand, and again, he extended his other hand to summon the mist.

When the returned to Hogwarts, he stumbled. Thankfully, Hermione court him.  
"Are you alright?" She asked in concern.  
Harry smiled, though exhausted.  
"Yeah, just... That really takes a lot out of me."  
Hermione pursed her lips as he stood up shakily.  
"You really didn't have to do that, if it's too exhausting for you." She said.  
Harry smiled.  
"Hey, it's a special occasion for my special girl."  
"Hey, I thought we agreed we would wait until we were older." She said playfully.  
Harry's grin widened.  
"Oops, guess I forgot."  
Hermione punched him gently, and he put his hands up in surrender.  
"Okay, okay, lets just go to bed."  
Hermione huffed, but followed him back into the school.

In all, Hogwarts seemed to have it's ups and downs. Some of the teachers were okay, while others... Not so much. Snape was an honest problem, and Quirrell... There was just something about him.  
And then, there were the students themselves. It would be nice for them to stop muttering behind his back. Seriously, it was getting annoying. But not as annoying as Malfoy, who was proving to be as much of a problem as Snape.  
But there were some good ones. Neville and Seamus were proving to be could friends, and Hermione... For now, he was content to be friends. He will wait until she was ready. He was patient.  
Perhaps, not all humans were all that bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm loving all of your theories. Don't worry, next chapter should answer some questions, and most likely make some new ones.


	7. An otherworldly warning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Halloween, that's always fun for Hogwarts, right? But Minerva isn't having much fun, because she gets an unexpected visitor.

Chapter 7:

Minerva was tired. She was currently sitting in the staffroom, with the rest of the professors. They were all in the middle of the meeting which they usually held at the end of every month. However, as it was October, they had the meeting on the 30th, as appose to the 31sh, which was when they held the Halloween feast.  
The meeting had dragged on for longer than usual, and she still had a lot of assignments to mark. However, Albus still had one more point of discussion.  
"And how has young Mr Potter been coming along?" He asked, the usual twinkle in his eyes.  
Severus's face instantly turned into the sneer he had whenever they discussed Potter.  
"He is an arrogant little brat, with little respect for authority."  
"Now Severus," Pomona began. "As I said last month, you are being too hard on the boy. I think he is quite compassionate, and quite talented."  
"Yes," Filius agreed. "And quite intelligent and willing to help his friends. He is often exchanging notes with Miss Granger, and helping Mr Longbottom with some of his finer techniques, as well as preventing Mr Finigan from causing accidents with his..."  
He cleared his throat.  
"... Pyrotechnic tendencies."  
Minerva nodded.  
"Though Mr Potter can be a bit harsh at times, it is understandable. He spent three years in the middle of the wild, with little too no human interaction. And from what I have heard, he did not have much positive human interaction in the first place."  
Filius and Pomona fidgeted uncomfortably. While Minerva had not revealed the full extent of what she knew concerning young Mr Potter's treatment at the hands of his relatives, she had informed them that he had been heavily abused. They had both been aghast, but agreed to keep their knowledge a secret, as none of them knew if Mr Potter would feel comfortable with his childhood being public knowledge.  
Severus sneered.  
"Potter just needs to learn to respect his elders."  
"That will be difficult," Minerva said through gritted teeth. "As Mr Potter was given little reason to respect his elders as a small child."  
"Regardless of this," Albus interrupted whatever Severus was about to say. "I still believe that Mr Potter should return to his relatives."  
"And I still believe you are a fool." Minerva retorted.   
She turned to Severus.  
"Severus, I know for a fact that you grew up in the same area as Lily Potter and her sister. Surely you know the kind of person Petunia Dursley is?"  
Severus flinched, but his face remained in it's usual sneering mask.  
"It does not matter. Potter needs to stay where he is safe."  
Minerva threw up her hands in frustration.  
"That is the problem. He is not safe."  
Albus sighed.  
"I am sure that if we hold a discussion between the Dursleys and Mr Potter, we will be able to sort through their disagreements. He is safer with them than he is outside their care. The blood of his mother's family is the only thing that protects him from those who remain of Voldemort's supports. They may try to harm Mr Potter, in an attempt to avenge their lord."  
Minerva had to suck in several long, deep breaths.  
"I have seen where he is living." She said, attempting to remain calm. "It has some form of warding, extremely powerful warding. No one can enter unless they are welcome. Not even you Albus, could find him."  
Albus only sighed and shook his head.  
"I have not seen these wards. He needs to be placed in a home who's wards I actually know."  
He stared straight into Minerva's eyes.  
"No, Minerva. Come these summer Holidays, the boy is to return to his relatives where he belongs."  
Minerva made to argue, but something in the corner of her eye caught her attention. She looked to the window, where a small dark bird sat, watching them. A shiver went up her spine as she recognised the fiery eyes.  
"Minerva? Minerva!"  
She snapped out of her shocked state to see that Pomona was staring at her in concern.  
"Are you alright?"  
Minerva wanted to tell them of her suspicions, to give them some form of warning. But she couldn't. She knew that no matter what she did, it would be no use.  
"I am fine." She said, attempting to sound calmer than she felt. "Is that all for this meeting?"  
The rest of the staff stared at her, but did not comment. Minerva was thankful. She was not sure how long she could hide her fear.

Harry was excited. It was that time of year again. The time of year that a certain friend of his visited. He had been afraid that he would not be able to find him, now that he was at Hogwarts. However, Crow-Friend had assured him that he would still be visiting, regardless of the new location.  
He really wanted to introduce his friend to his human friends. This friend was less intimidating than Crow-Friend, and he thought that it would be great.  
They had just had charms. In this lesson, they had attempted to levitate a feather using the levitation charm they had been learning. Seamus had had to replace his feather more than once, due to it bursting into flame. Seriously, what was with this guy and burning things? Neville had improved exponentially since he had gotten his own wand. However, he was still nervous in lessons that weren't herbology, so Harry and Hermione were often helping him.  
Hermione was a true treasure. She was often attempting to help other students, even when they did not appreciate her assistance. Such as was the case in the previous lesson, when she had attempted to help the quick tempered Ron Weasley, who was horribly mispronouncing his spell.  
He was about to breach the subject of his special friend, when they all heard the loud voice of Ron Weasley talking with some other students.  
"It's no wonder no one can stand her..."  
They all froze. Harry made to grasp Hermione's hand.  
"she's a nightmare, honestly."  
Hermione's hand slipped out of his, and she was suddenly running away, her face in her hands.  
Harry could feel his anger rising. His birds reacted to his anger, fluttering around his head like storm clouds. He clenched his fists and turned to the foolish redhead.  
"Oh shite." He thought he heard Seamus mutter.  
He walked over to Weasley, the boy becoming pale under Harry's glare.  
"What did you just say?" He said, surprisingly gentle in contrast to his anger.  
The boy shivered.  
"I... I was just saying..." He stuttered. "She... She doesn't have to act like a... A know-it-all all the time."  
He grabbed the front of the boy's robes and lifted him into the air above his head.  
"She was trying to help you, you idiot." He spat. "Would you have rather caused an accident?"  
The boy squeaked in obvious terror.  
"Harry, calm down!"  
He felt two pairs of arms grab him. Weasley fell to the ground as Harry let him go.  
He turned to Neville and Seamus.  
"Did you hear what he said?" He spat.  
"Yes, and we're all angry." Neville said in a placating tone. "But I think your energy is better spent looking for Hermione and making sure she is alright.  
Harry muttered, but complied. He turned to Weasley, who was still on the ground.  
"You got lucky this time." He said. "Next time... You may not."  
Harry turned and walked down the corridor, searching for Hermione, Seamus and Neville following him.

He used the wards of the school to find her. It had not taken him long to discover that the magic of the earth was laced into the wards, which gave him a great advantage. If he ever needed to, he could draw energy from the wards, just as he did from the earth, even if the connection was a little strained.  
Eventually, they found her in a girl's toilet.  
"Woo, we can't go in there." Neville said as Harry made to go into the bathroom.  
"Why not?" Harry asked.  
"It's a girl's bathroom." Neville replied, as if it were obvious.  
Harry scoffed.  
"I care not for such restrictions."  
And with that, he opened the door and entered the bathroom.  
It did not take long to find Hermione. She was sitting in one of the stools, crying loudly. He moved to her.  
"Hey." He said gently, wrapping an arm around her.  
Hermione jumped in surprise, and looked up at him.  
"Harry, what are you doing here?" She asked.  
Harry smiled.  
"Making sure you're alright, of course."  
"But this is a girl's toilet." She argued.  
"And?"  
"And..." Hermione spluttered. "You're not allowed here. You're a boy."  
Harry laughed.  
"Such restrictions are for creatures of society, not for creatures of nature. In nature, we may dump our waste wherever we so wish."  
Hermione chuckled. He began to play with her wild curls.  
"Forget about what Weasley said." He said gently. "He's an idiot."  
Hermione looked down.  
"I... I know. It's just... What he said... It reminded me too much of... Of the kids at primary school."  
She sighed.  
"I... I had hoped that coming to Hogwarts, I wouldn't be such an outcast."  
"You're not an outcast." He said softly. "You have me, and Seamus and Neville."  
His birds flew from his head to pick Hermione affectionately. She giggled.  
"Thanks." She said.  
Harry helped Hermione to her feet.  
"Now, I was about to tell you guys something before Weasley so rudely interrupted us." He began.  
"What?" Hermione asked as they left the bathroom.  
"Well," Harry began. "Around this time of year, a friend of mind visits me. He's really great, and I would love for you to meet him."  
Neville frowned, Hermione smiled, and Seamus's eyes widened.  
"Is your friend a fae?" He asked. "Uncle Riley always says that Halloween is when the fair-folk come and play in the human world."  
Harry chuckled. Seamus was still insistent that Harry had some form of fae powers.  
"I don't know, but he is magical."  
"Is... Is he as scaring as your Crow-Friend?" Neville asked.  
Harry shook his head.  
"No, don't worry."  
Neville sighed in relief.  
"It would be nice to meet your friend." Hermione began. "But what about the feast?"  
"Forget about the feast." Harry said. "Well, you can still go. But this is the only time of year that my friend comes around, so I'm going to miss it."  
"Then I'm coming too." Hermione replied. "I mean, this sounds interesting."  
"Yeah, I want to meet this maybe fae." Seamus added.  
"Well, if you're all going, I'll come too." Neville said, shrugging.  
Harry smiled.  
"Great. He'll be here just as the sun sets, so we should go to the lake. He usually comes from the lake."

A couple hours of waiting at the lakeside later, Harry finally saw a shape on the horizon, gliding across the water.  
"Look, over there!" He said excitedly, pointing to the approaching figure.  
He removed his shoes and socks, rolled up his pants legs, and waded into the water. His three companions jumped up from where they were sitting, but did not join him in the cold water.  
He continued in the water excitedly until he reached his approaching friend. Happily, he embraced the long neck of his white feathered friend.  
"Hello again." He said, smiling. "I was scared you wouldn't be able to find me, but Crow-Friend said you would."  
His friend sent him an amused reply. Harry laughed.  
"Okay. I have some people to meet you. They're humans, but they're good. Yeah, I know, what a surprise. But come on."  
He waded out of the water, his friend following him. When they reached the shore, he noticed that all three of his human friends were staring at his friend in awe.  
"This, is my Swan-Friend." He began. "And these, are Seamus, Neville, and Hermione, the girl of my dreams." He said the last part in a whisper so only the swan could hear him.  
"Wow, he's so..." Hermione began.  
"Beautiful." Neville finished.  
Harry smiled.  
"I know. Come on, lets go talk."  
His Swan-Friend walked out of the water, and the five of them sat in a circle.  
"Errr, Harry, how are we supposed to talk to the swan?" Neville asked.  
"Is he a magic bird like your crow?" Seamus asked.  
Harry chuckled at the indignant feelings his Swan-Friend was sending him.  
"Yes, he's magical. But don't compare him to Crow-Friend. He doesn't like it very much. And as for your other question, just take off your shoes and socks. Let your feet touch the magic of the earth, and you will be able to feel Swan-Friend. Though, I may still have to interpret some things."  
The three hesitantly removed their footwear. Neville, who had already had a strong connection to the earth, was the first to react.  
"Wow, this is... Incredible." He gasped.  
Harry smiled. Swan-Friend sent Neville a greeting, and the boy smiled in joy.  
Hermione was the next to react, as she had had previous experience from her birthday adventure.  
"Harry, this is amazing." She said.  
Finally, Seamus joined the rest of them, and he smiled giddily.  
"Oh, this is amazing." He said. "How do I... Errr, ask the Swan questions?"  
Harry chuckled.  
"You can just say it out loud...." He began.  
He instantly regretted telling him this. The boy immediately began attacking his Swan-Friend with questions.  
"Are you really a magic Swan? Are you a fae-swan? Why do you only come around once a year?"  
"Okay, okay, stop." Harry finally said. "Seamus, give him time to answer, or maybe even breathe."  
"Oh, right." Seamus muttered.  
"So, what exactly do you and your Swan-Friend talk about?" Neville asked.  
Harry smiled.  
"Swan-Friend is an excellent bard."  
All three blinked in surprise.  
"Your Swan-Friend is a bard." Hermione said slowly.  
Harry nodded enthusiastically.  
"Yeah, where do you think I learnt all my tricks from?"  
Seamus's eyes widened.  
"Really? Can he errr...."  
"Of course." Harry replied. "Swan-Friend is always happy to preform, right?"  
His Swan-Friend sent him his agreement.  
For the next hour or so, they listened to the swan telling them a story about a man, attempting to win back the woman he loved from a king. It was quite entertaining. While Harry liked Crow-Friend's stories, hers were a little too violent sometimes. Swan-Friend's were a little more tame, though they still had some violence in them.  
When the story was finished, Harry sighed and laid on the ground.  
"That was such a good story." He said.  
"Yeah." Seamus agreed. "Wish Snape was as easy to deal with as that king."  
Swan-Friend sent him an enquiry.  
"Oh, Snape?" Harry asked. "Yeah, he's this awful teacher. He seems to hate almost everyone for no particular reason, but he specifically targets me."  
The swan sent him a concerned message.  
"It's okay, but..." He sighed. "I wish that he would stop being such a... You know..."  
They all fell silent. After a few minutes, Harry suddenly felt a tremor. He sat up.  
"Harry, what's wrong?" Hermione asked.  
He got to his feet.  
"Something's in the wards of Hogwarts." He said. "Something that shouldn't be there."  
He turned to Swan-Friend.  
"I'm sorry to cut this short, but the wards are screaming for help. As a guardian of the earth, it's my duty to answer the call of nature, and it's magic. Somehow the wards are connected to nature's magic, and I need to help."  
The Swan-Friend sent him a reply.  
"Really?" He asked.  
"What?" Neville asked.  
"Apparently, Swan-Friend has something he needs to do too." He replied as he went to go back into the castle.  
"Wait, Harry, what about your shoes?" Hermione called after him.  
"I'll be better without them." Harry called back before running towards the castle.  
After a few minutes, he sensed his friends following him.  
"We're coming too." Hermione said.  
"No way are we going to let you face whatever it is alone."  
Harry nodded.  
"Thanks."

After several minutes of Harry following where the wards were directing him, they reached where the danger was.  
"Isn't that the bathroom Hermione was crying in a few hours ago?" Neville asked.  
Harry nodded.  
"Good thing we got her out. Wait here."  
He crept into the bathroom. A horrible smell instantly assaulted his nose. He looked up to see a horrible sight. One that he recognised from one of his textbooks. He instantly left the bathroom.  
"It's a troll in there." He said.  
Neville had gone pale, and the others weren't much better.  
"A troll?" Hermione gasped. "How did a troll get into Hogwarts?"  
Harry shook his head.  
"Don't know."  
He walked over to one of the suits of armour that was against the wall. He somehow managed to extract the sword. It was heavier than he expected, and he stumbled for a second before adjusting his grip and lifting it like the heroes of Crow-Friend's stories. It was rusty and blunt, but he quickly used his magic to clean it and sharpen the blade. Now this was a weapon.  
"Harry, you're not going to fight that thing, are you?" Hermione asked.  
"Of course." Harry replied with a grin. "Cover me with your wands out."  
The three hesitantly drew their wands.  
"Okay, ready?" He began. "On the count of three. One... Two... Three!"  
He kicked the door open and lifted the sword above his head before screaming a battle cry and running into the bathroom.  
He felt a thrill go through him. With a weapon in his hand, and the desire to see this beast which threatened the safety of this school dead, he felt invincible.  
The troll heard him, and turned, swinging it's club. Harry ducked the swing and sliced the sword into the beasts hamstrings. It roared in anger, before going after Harry for a second swing. However, before the club could land, a stream of fire burst through the open door behind it and the wooden object court flame. It's hands now burnt, the troll dropped the flaming club.  
"Really Seamus?" Harry heard Hermione yell. "Now is not the time for burning the entire school down!"  
"It was the only thing I could think of!"  
One of the sinks levitated, and a jet of water spurted out from the now broken pipe. Somehow, Hermione managed to direct the water to the flaming club.  
Harry ran back to the troll and stabbed it in a particularly sensitive area. It roared even louder than before, and unexpectedly grabbed Harry in it's massive fist.  
Harry gasped for breath. Then, his birds flew into the beast's eyes, pecking furiously. The troll dropped Harry, and his birds returned to him.  
Harry would have landed on the cold hard tiles, only he was floating. No, not floating, levitating. And he was doing it right on level with the beast's chest.  
"Now Harry!" Neville shouted.  
Harry tightened the grip on his sword, and stabbed it into the beast's heart. It fell with a tremendous boom, and Harry was slowly lowered to the ground.  
His three friends ran up to him.  
"That was brilliant." Seamus said, grinning. "You were so amazing."  
Harry smiled.  
"So were all of you."  
"Errr, I'd hate to be the bearer of bad news," Hermione began. "But we're going to be in so much trouble."  
They looked around the destroyed bathroom. Then they looked at each other. Seamus, Hermione and Neville were fine, but Harry was covered in blood.  
"Errr, I'm going to go wash up in the lake." Harry said. "Maybe you should come with, then we can sneak back into the common-room together."  
The others agreed wholehearted. And so they quickly left the scene.

Minerva stared at the dead troll in disbelief. She had absolutely no idea who or what could have done it, though she did have her suspicions.  
"Well, that solves that problem." Pomona said, also wide-eyed at the scene.  
Minerva cleared her throat.  
"But how?" She gasped.  
Severus scoffed.  
"Isn't it obvious?" He sneered. "Potter wasn't at the feast. He obviously let the troll in to get more attention."  
Minerva frowned.  
"Potter couldn't have done this." Filius argued.  
Minerva thought otherwise, but she also knew he would not have brought a troll in on purpose.  
They were broken from their discussion when Albus approached them, pale faced.  
"Minerva, there has been a new emergency." He began. "Something has happened to Mr Potter's relatives. Do you think you could please go check on them?"  
Minerva sighed.  
"Fine then, Albus."  
Later, Minerva would wish she had not agreed to go.

She appeared on Privet Drive, to see that it had not changed one bit in the last ten years. It would appear that the muggle authorities hadn't arrived yet. This would make her job easier.  
She walked up to the door of Number 4, and knocked. No answer. She tried the door, and found it unlocked. She pushed it opened and cautiously stepped inside.  
The sight which greeted her was horrifying.  
The walls were painted in blood, the metallic cent in the air, along with what she believed to be human feces and some foul burnt sent.  
She stepped into the living room. This room was much worse.  
She recognised what used to be Vernon Dursley. It was a little difficult, as he was mutilated almost beyond recognition. His eyes had been picked out, and there were lacerations on his back which seemed to have come from a belt.  
The man had been whipped to death.  
She walked into the kitchen, only to find Petunia Dursley in an equally horrible state.  
Her hands were burnt to the bone, and her face was burnt to the point of almost being unrecognisable. Her face and hands were bound to the inside of a frying-pan, on an active stove top.  
Minerva felt as if she were about to be sick. There was only one question. Where was the boy, Dudley Dursley?  
She carefully walked up the stairs. She checked each room, until she found the large boy, huddled in a corner. He was obviously traumatised. Minerva carefully and silently approached him, before casting a spell to put him to sleep. Hopefully the muggle authorities would be there soon. She could already hear sirens in the distance.  
She sighed and left the house behind, trusting in the Muggle authorities to deal with the situation. She could do nothing here.

After giving Albus a brief summery of what she had discovered, she went quickly to her office, intending to poor herself a large, strong drink.  
Only her plans were interrupted by an unexpected visitor.  
When she stepped into her office, she saw a woman sitting in the chair opposite her own at her desk. The woman was dressed in black, and the red stains were clear upon her clothing and pale skin. She had red hair, as deep as the blood splattered upon her body.  
Despite her current state, she was smiling widely, a cruel and vicious smirk which shook Minerva to the bone.  
"Hello Minerva McGonagall." The woman said, still smiling. "It is good to finally speak with you."  
Minerva stood silently in her doorway, frozen in her fear.  
The woman's smirk widened as she saw Minerva's hesitation.  
"You are afraid of me." She said gently.  
"Of course I am." Minerva said quickly.  
"So you know who I am?"  
Of course she knew. Minerva had known ever since the first time she saw this creature perched on the shoulder of Harry Potter. She was the Phantom Queen, the Battle Crow...  
"Morrigan." She breathed.  
The woman, Morrigan, grinned viciously.  
"Yes, you are an observant one, aren't you." She mused. "Come now, sit. We have much to discuss."  
Minerva hesitantly stepped into the room, her eyes never leaving the creature sitting in the chair that was usually reserved for students.  
"Do not worry." Morrigan said. "You have nothing to fear from me, yet."  
"Yet?" Minerva asked as she sat in her chair.  
Morrigan shook her head.  
"For the most part, you seem to want to protect Harry, and I must admit, watching your arguments with that old fool Dumbledore is quite amusing."  
Minerva sucked in a breath.  
"You killed them, didn't you?"  
Morrigan smirked.  
"I have killed many people. You will have to be more specific."  
"The dursleys." Minerva elaborated. "Why?"  
Morrigan frowned.  
"They hurt Harry." She replied. "And Dumbledore wished for the poor boy to return to them."  
She shook her head.  
"I could hardly allow such a thing."  
Minerva clutched her desk.  
"Why is Harry Potter so important to you?" She asked.  
Morrigan lent forward and rested her elbows on the desk.  
"That is quite a long and complicated story. I cannot tell you all of it at this time."  
"Cannot or will not." Minerva snapped.  
Morrigan frowned in irritation.  
"Do not speak in such a way to me, Minerva McGonagall. Do not forget what happens to those who cross me."  
Minerva bit her lip.  
"But why Harry Potter? Why him?"  
"He's a very special child." Morrigan replied.  
"Yes, a child." Minerva argued. "What are you planning for him?"  
Morrigan chuckled.  
"Now Minerva, that is for me to know, and for you to find out."  
Morrigan lent back.  
"However, seeing as you are trying to protect Harry, I'll tell you some things."  
She lent forward again.  
"The time of the fae is coming once again. The Tuatha Dé Danann will rise from the Otherworld, where your ancestors banished us so long ago."  
Minerva sucked in a breath.  
"And Harry Potter?"  
"Will be instrumental in our return." Morrigan replied. "We shall rise, and we shall heal the earth from the taint of humanity."  
She smiled in mock-gentleness.  
"Do not worry, we shall not kill all of the humans. Only those who stand in our way."  
She lent back again.  
"Why have you only come to me in this form now?" Minerva asked. "Why have you only come as a crow before?"  
"Because, while I am one of the few who can leave the Otherworld without being summoned, I can only leave in my crow form." Morrigan explained. "The only time I can walk the mortal world in this form is during Samhain, when the rest of my people may walk among the mortals."  
"Has Mr Potter ever...?"  
Morrigan shook her head.  
"No, he only thinks I am a magically powerful crow."  
She gazed straight into Minerva's eyes.  
"You have a choice Minerva McGonagall." She said gently. "When the old Gods rise, will you side with us, or will you side with those who will fight us?"  
Minerva shuddered.  
"I will side with whomever wishes to protect the students under my care." She replied.  
Morrigan smirked.  
"Of course. I may be a vicious killer, but I am at least merciful. I do not harm children. Why do you think I spared the Dursley boy, despite him contributing to Harry's torment?"  
Minerva sighed.  
"What about the birds?" Minerva asked. "The ones around Mr Potter's head. What are they for?"  
Morrigan rolled her eyes.  
"It was my associate's idea. He wanted to give Harry some friends."  
"Your associate?" Minerva asked.  
Morrigan grinned.  
"You didn't think that someone as important as Harry Potter would have only one guardian from the Tuatha Dé Danann?"  
"Well, considering that it is you..." Minerva muttered.  
Morrigan waved her hand and chuckled.  
"You flatter me."  
She then stood.  
"My business is done here." She said. "I must preform my duties as the Morrigan, that is, other than protecting Harry Potter."  
Morrigan walked to the window and opened it. Before she left, she turned to Minerva.  
"Take care of Harry." She said. "As I am one of his fae guardians, you are his mortal guardian, as decreed by I, the Morrigan."  
Minerva nodded.  
"Oh, and add his grove to the list." Morrigan added.  
"Wait, what do you mean by "his grove"?" Minerva asked.  
Unfortunately, Morrigan had already turned into her crow form and flown out of the window. Minerva stared out of the window for a long time. Finally, she turned to her secretly hidden stash. She would definitely need a drink now.

Severus was tired. He had had to ensure his students weren't stupid enough to go into the common-room, which was in the dungeons, the same place as where the troll had been seen. Honestly, did Dumbledore just forget that the Slytherin common-room was in the dungeons, or did he just not care? And then, he had had to go to the third-floor corridor and face that beast that Hagrid called a pet, to ensure Quirrell did not make an attempt on the stone. And now, he had an injured leg.  
They had finally found the troll, already dead in a girls bathroom. He just knew it was Potter and his little friends. They had been absent from the feast.  
Now, he was limping to his office, intending to have a long rest. However, all plans were interrupted when he entered his office.  
A young man sat on his desk. His legs were crossed at the ankles, and they were swinging casually. He had a youthful face, with shining green eyes and wavy golden hair. He was quite hansom. He could have been out of Hogwarts only around two or three years.  
But the most distinct feature of this man, were the birds hovering around his head.  
This completed the image, so that the man lookedalmost like an older version of...  
"Potter." He spat. "I am to tired for your trickery. Get out of my office before..."  
The man through back his head and laughed. When he finally calmed down, his eyes were full of amusement.  
"You believe me to be Harry." He said in a lilting accent. "Oh, you have no idea who you are dealing with."  
Severus drew his wand.  
"Whoever you are, get out of my office." He growled.  
The man eyed the wand amusedly.  
"Put that stick away, before I snap it into splinters." The man said.  
Severus tightened his grip on his wand.  
"Stupi..."  
"Oh, no you don't."  
Before Severus could blink, the man had gotten off of the desk and grabbed his wand. The man walked back to the desk and span the wand in his long elegant fingers.  
"Such a pretty little thing." He mused. "Should I...?"  
He shook his head.  
"No, not yet."  
Instead, the man tossed the wand over his shoulder to the other side of the room. Severus could only look on in shock.  
"Now." The man continued. "I do not wish to waste all of me time in the mortal world talking to you, so lets keep this short."  
"What do you want?" Severus demanded.  
The man tilted his head.  
"What do I want? I want many things Severus Snape. Right now, there is something specific I want of you."  
The man's expression darkened, and shivers began to run up Severus's spine.  
"Harry Potter." The man continued. "It has come to me attention that you have been rather cruel to him, and well... Most of the students in your care."  
Severus sneered.  
"It is what that arrogant, spoilt brat deserves."  
Before Severus could blink, the man was on his feet.  
"Arrogant spoilt brat is he?" The man hissed. "Oh, if you knew what the boy has been through..."  
The man lifted Severus's head forcefully to meet his eyes.  
"You should be thankful me associate isn't here." He said. "She is less merciful than I. Though, perhaps I should show you what she has done to the Dursleys, just to show you what happens to those who cross Harry Potter."  
Images began to flood Severus's mind. He felt his stomach turning at the sight. Such violence he had not seen since the war against Voldemort.  
As the images finally faded, he could see the man was smirking.  
"W... Why?" He gasped.  
The man frowned.  
"Do you truly wish to see how much Harry had to suffer?" He asked. "Very well then."  
"Wait..." Severus began, but it was too late.  
New images assaulted his mind. Of a dark cupboard, of a large man lashing him with a belt, of being burnt on an oven that was far too big...  
Not only was he seeing it, but he was feeling every last bit of pain. It was excruciating, bringing back memories of his own childhood.  
Finally, mercifully, it was all over. Severus now lay on the ground. The man placed a foot upon his stomach, making it difficult for Severus to breathe.  
"Now do you see?" The man asked gently.  
"Make it stop." Severus gasped.  
The man chuckled and lent closer.  
"No." He said. "You deserve this, Severus Snape. You deserve to know the pain that Harry Potter has gone through. Perhaps you will be less willing to be such an ass."  
He then stood up and tapped his chin.  
"I wander, why are you so cruel to Harry specifically?"  
He knelt down and placed a hand on Severus's forehead. He tried to fight it, but the man was too powerful. He was helpless to stop him from tearing through his mind, finding the worst of his memories.  
After a few minutes of agonising torture, the man stood, a satisfied smile on his face.  
"Oh, I see." He said. "You hate him because James Potter was cruel to you, and then the man stole the heart of the woman you love."  
Severus tried to sit up, but the man's foot was still on his stomach.  
"You know," The man continued. "I once lost a beautiful woman to my own brother, who already had a wife at the time. Well, technically speaking, he had had an affair with her first, but then he made the dumb decision to bring her home, which almost cost this woman her life. I was able to do more to relieve her pain than he was, so I think I had more right to her heart. And again, he was already married, and I wasn't at the time. But unfortunately the curse of my brother's wife returned to the woman and I lost her, but I got to kill my brother's wife in return. But alas, she was still lost. But then my brother found her again after a long time, and there was this fiasco with a mortal king, but he got her in the end. I was angry with my brother for a long time, but I eventually got over it."  
He tapped the toe of the foot that was on Severus's stomach.  
"And yet, you cannot get over this Lily. I must say, I cannot blame you. She looked like a fine beauty."  
The man stared down at him.  
"So you hate Harry because James was cruel to you, and yet you are sworn to protect him because you love his mother. What a story. I may have to write a ballad about it. Maybe I'll even share the idea with me sister. It could be a collaboration."  
He lent down, closer to Severus's face.  
"But I am going to give you one warning, and one warning only." The man said. "Stop your cruelty towards Harry Potter. Leave he and his grove be. Or me less merciful associate shall pay you a visit. And believe me when I say you do not want to meet her when she is angry."  
Finally, he stepped off of Severus's stomach and he could breathe properly. The man walked to the door just as Severus got to his feet. Before the man left, he turned back to Severus.  
"Remember, this is your only warning Severus Snape." He said. "I am not someone you should anger. But while I am one of Harry Potter's fae Guardians, so shall you be one of his guardians among the mortals."  
He stared straight into Severus's eyes.  
"That child is very important to my people. And you should never feck, with the Tuatha Dé Danann."  
And with that, the man left. Severus just stood there in shock for several minutes. Finally, he walked over to where his wand was, picked it up, and went straight to his quarters. He would need a lot of sleep after this.  
Though, sleep did not come easy that night. For every time he closed his eyes, he saw the images that the man had put into his mind.


	8. The protecter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minerva is very protective over the students upon her care. She will stand against anyone, even an Irish death Goddess, to ensure her students are safe.

Chapter 8:

The next morning found Minerva stumbling into the hospital wing, her head pounding.  
"Ruth night?" Poppy asked as she saw the current state that Minerva was in.  
The transfiguration teacher only groaned.  
"I would appreciate it if you gave me something to help with my headache." Minerva said groggily.  
Poppy quickly grabbed a potion and handed it to the tired witch.  
"Strange of you to be drinking during the school term." Poppy observed.  
"I needed it after what I saw last night." Minerva replied as she carefully sipped the potion.  
Even at that very moment, the memories of what she had seen haunted her. She still did not know what had more horrified her the previous night, the fate of the Dursleys, or the Morrigan. She had not told anyone of the latter, of course, and she was not planning to. Who would believe her, anyway?  
Poppy sighed and shook her head.  
"Yes, Albus called us all for an emergence meeting at five in the morning." She said. "It "I suspect it will be all over the muggle news soon."  
The matron shook her head.  
"Truly a horrible thing. Albus said that the Ministry may get involved, due to all the mystery behind it, and the victims being related to Harry potter."  
"So there are no suspects?" Minerva asked. She of course knew who had been behind the murders, but she was wondering if Morrigan was going to pin the blame on anyone.  
Poppy shook her head.  
"No one knows. It's especially troubling, with them being the only relatives Harry Potter had left. No doubt it will spread across the entire wizarding community once Skeeta catches wind of it. I can see the headlines now: "Harry Potter's beloved relatives savagely murdered"."  
Minerva snorted.  
"I would not call them "beloved relatives"." She said. "He hadn't lived there for three years, and before then..." She shook her head.  
Poppy nodded.  
"I know, but Albus still suspects that supporters of You-Know-Who were behind it."  
Minerva scoffed.  
"Couldn't have been." She said. "There was no Dark Mark over the house, and you know how much they loved marking where they had killed someone."  
Poppy nodded.  
"Yes, but maybe they didn't want to be too obvious."  
Minerva sighed.  
"And the deaths... They were much too graphic. If it had been You-Know-Who supporters, then they would have used the Cruciartis to torture them, and the killing curse to finish them off. And they would have killed all of them, not just the adults."  
Poppy nodded slowly.  
"I know, but Albus is still convinced."  
Poppy took the now empty potion vial from Minerva.  
"He also wanted to speak to you." She continued. "You and Mr Potter."  
Minerva sighed.  
"No doubt to try and organise the boy's living arrangements."  
Poppy pursed her lips.  
"Albus is only looking out for the boy's best interest Minerva."  
"I am aware of that." Minerva replied. "But considering that not even Albus could find him in three years..."  
Poppy sighed.  
"Yes, but we are all concerned for Mr Potter." She said.  
"Have you met him?" Minerva asked.  
Poppy shook her head.  
"No, though I don't know how. He is a member of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, correct?"  
Minerva nodded. She had hoped to keep the fact that Potter was the new Gryffindor seeker relatively quiet, only she had forgotten that news travels quickly in Hogwarts.  
"What of it?" She asked.  
"Well," Poppy began. "I am frequently visited by the other members of the quidditch team, but never Mr Potter."  
"Perhaps he does not get injured as much." Minerva suggested.  
Poppy shook her head.  
"According to them, he does." She said. "But somehow, I never see him injured. Not even a scratch."  
Minerva pursed her lips.  
"He lived in the wild for three years, Poppy. He has taught himself to do... Interesting things, with his magic."  
Poppy sighed.  
"It would make sense." She said. "But still..."  
"I understand your concern." Minerva said. "Believe me, I do. But I think that Mr Potter is better protected than we think."  
"How so?" Poppy asked.  
Minerva did not reply straight away. She was not about to tell anyone that she had had a conversation with the Irish Goddess of War and Death. Aside from the fact that most would think her insane, Morrigan had also made it clear that no one was to know. She may not have said it outright, but she had heavily implied it. Considering that Mr Potter, whom the otherworldly woman had claimed to be under her protection, did not even know the whole truth, Minerva doubted Morrigan wished for anyone else to know of their little interaction. She may not be afraid to speak her mind, but even she knew not to risk angering the Battle Crow.  
"Just, trust me." She finally said.  
Poppy frowned, but nodded reluctantly.  
"Fine." She said. "You better go check on Albus. He seemed quite insistent that you and Mr Potter meet with him after breakfast."  
Minerva nodded.  
"Aren't you coming to breakfast?"  
Poppy shook her head.  
"With flew season coming? I've got to work on my stock of pepper-up potions. I tried discussing it with Severus just after the meeting, but he seemed..."  
"What?" Minerva asked, dreading that he, too, had had an otherworldly visitor.  
Poppy shook her head.  
"Out of his right mind." She said.  
Minerva nodded.  
"I better go to breakfast then. Are you sure you do not want to..."  
Poppy shook her head.  
"I am fare too busy. I'll go down to the kitchens later."  
Minerva nodded.  
"Fine. Thank you for the potion."  
Poppy nodded.  
"Always willing to help."  
Minerva nodded and left the hospital wing.

The main topic of discussion for the students of Hogwarts that morning, seemed to be the troll that had somehow entered the school the previous night. Neville and Hermione, who did not like keeping secrets, ate their breakfast silently with their gazes flicking nervously to the head table, scared that they would be called out for what they had done the night before.  
Seamus, on the other hand, was still excited from their battle the previous night, even though it had mostly been Harry doing the actual fighting, and the other three only contributing in small ways. It took all three of them to stop him from telling everyone about how they had defeated the troll.  
Outwardly, Harry was calm. But inwardly, he was still a little full of adrenalin. He had had to reluctantly return the sword to the suit of armour and make it appear blunted and rusty once again. He had wanted to keep it, but he thought that it's absence may seem suspicious. So unfortunately, he had had to give up his weapon.  
He was excited to tell his Crow-Friend about the battle. He believed that she would love it. It was just the kind of thing she liked. The event was just like one of her stories.  
He had felt so much like one of the heroes from Crow-Friend's stories, fighting monsters and protecting his home. Well... At least the place he was currently residing in. His home was his forest, and nothing could change that.  
He could not wait to see Crow-Friend again, but he knew that she was usually away for at least a week after the day of Swan-Friend's visits. He did not know why. Her absences were usually unpredictable, except for this one. No matter what, she was always absent just after Swan-Friend visited. It was strange, but Harry just put it in the back of his mind. He trusted his Crow-Friend more than he trusted anyone. He knew she had her reasons. But sometimes, he wished he knew what these reasons were.  
He was broken out of his thoughts by Hermione.  
"Okay Harry, what did you do to Snape?"  
Harry looked from the girl, to the head table. The professor in question seemed even more nervous than Neville, or even Quirrell. His eyes darted around the room, as if he suspected an attack at any moment. Though, his gaze always returned to Harry. But instead of the hatred that was usually in those black depths, there was... Harry did not know what. Fear? Pain? Maybe even, guilty?  
"I did not do anything." Harry replied calmly.  
He observed Snape some more. He kept twitching, and it seemed he had trouble eating his food as a result.  
"Well something has happened to him." Hermione argued.  
Seamus's eyes widened.  
"What if it was your Swan-Friend?" He suggested.  
Harry frowned.  
"Possibly."  
Neville shuddered.  
"But I thought you said that Swan-Friend wasn't as intimidating as Crow-Friend?"  
"Yes, not as intimidating." Harry replied. "I never said that he wasn't intimidating at all."  
Neville shuddered again.  
"What is with you and intimidating birds?" The boy muttered.  
Harry and Seamus chuckled.  
"So what you are saying is that Swan-Friend may have done that to Snape?" Hermione asked incredulously.  
"It's a possibility." Harry said. "We did briefly talk about Snape with him."  
"But..." Hermione began. "A swan?"  
"A swan that can get into your mind." Harry argued. "And don't forget that I learnt all of my storytelling skills from him."  
"I'm still not sure how that works." Hermione said. "If he can only communicate through images, how did he teach you to use words?"  
Harry shrugged.  
"It's complicated." He said vaguely.  
All three stared at him for a long time, but they finally just shook their heads, obviously not wanting to push the issue.  
They couldn't have, in any case, as Professor McGonagall had come up to them, her mouth in a very narrow line.  
"Mr Potter." She began. "Professor Dumbledore wishes to speak with you in his office, immediately."  
The four of them exchanged looks, obviously thinking the same thing. Dumbledore wished to interrogate Harry concerning the troll. He got to his feet, though his friends tried to stop him.  
"I'll be fine." He said.  
"But Harry...“ Hermione began.  
"I will be fine." Harry repeated. "I can handle Dumbledore."  
He turned to follow Professor McGonagall out of the Great Hall.

When Minerva entered Albus's office, closely followed by Potter, she saw the headmaster sitting behind his desk, a grave look on his face and dark circles under his eyes.  
"Ah, Mr Potter." He began. "Please take a seat."  
"You wished to see me?" Mr Potter said calmly, not taking the offered seat.  
Albus sighed.  
"Yes, I am sorry for having to call you at such an early hour, however, I am afraid there is a grave matter I must discuss with you."  
"What?" Potter asked.  
Albus sighed again and turned to her.  
"Minerva, could you..."  
"I am staying here, Albus." Minerva said.  
Albus nodded.  
"Very well." He said. "It may be better this way."  
He sucked in a deep breath.  
"Mr Potter, I must insist you take a seat."  
Potter sized the headmaster up for a few seconds. The expression reminded Minerva far too much of Morrigan's.  
Finally, the boy took the seat.  
"Well?" Mr Potter prompted.  
Albus sighed.  
"First of all, I wish to offer my condolences." He began.  
Mr Potter continued to stare at the Headmaster blankly. Albus continued.  
"The night before, I was alerted to a truly horrific event." He said. "I am afraid that your Aunt and Uncle are dead."  
The child did not react in any way.  
"I am sure the news..." Albus began.  
"How?"  
"I beg your pardon?" Albus asked.  
"How did they die?" Mr Potter asked calmly.  
"I do not believe it is appropriate for you to know." Albus replied slowly. "I would not wish to add to your grief..."  
"What grief?"  
Minerva shuddered. There was just something disconcerting about how calmly the child was taking the news of his relatives deaths. Even if they had severely abused him, he should at least show some reaction. He should not be so calm.  
Albus clearly thought the same thing.  
"Mr Potter?" He asked in surprise. "Surely you feel some form of...?"  
Potter only shrugged.  
"Why should I?" He asked.  
"They were your family." Albus replied incredulously. "Do you not think they deserve some remorse."  
"No." The boy replied without hesitation.  
Albus adopted a disappointed expression.  
"I understand that you had your... Disagreements, with your relatives. But surely you can forgive them, especially after how horrifically they died."  
"No." Potter said calmly. "Just because they are dead, does not mean I forgive them. They are not worthy of my forgiveness for what they did to me."  
"Mr Potter." Albus said incredulously. "Your Aunt and Uncle were brutally murdered. Your cousin has been omitted into a muggle mental hospital, and they do not believe he will be able to recover. Surely you feel some remorse?"  
"No, I don't." Potter replied, beginning to sound irritated.  
Albus shook his head.  
"Do you truly hate them so strongly?" He asked.  
"No." Mr Potter replied, much to both Minerva's and Albus's surprise.  
"You... Don't?" Albus asked.  
"No." Mr Potter replied. "For a long time I did, but I let go of it. I decided there were better things to do with my life than hate the Dursleys."  
He stared straight into Albus's eyes.  
"They never loved me, so I do not feel inclined to grieve for them."  
"So you feel... Nothing?" Albus asked.  
Potter nodded.  
"This isn't love, this isn't hate, it's just... Indifference." He said.  
Albus sighed.  
"Regardless of your feelings towards your relatives, we are faced with a difficult situation." He began. "Now, you are able to remain at Hogwarts during the winter, however, during the summer holidays I am afraid we will have to find you a suitable place to live."  
"I already have a place to live." The boy argued.  
Albus frowned.  
"Yes, I am aware that you enjoy living in the wild, but it is hardly a safe place..."  
"I lived in the wild for three years." Potter interrupted. "My forest is much safer than the Dursleys ever was."  
"Be that as it may," Albus continued, obviously attempting to remain calm. "You need to live somewhere that is safe, Mr Potter. And you need to live somewhere with other people. It is not appropriate for a growing boy to live in the wild. You need to return to civilisation and end these childish fantasies."  
"I beg your pardon?" Mr Potter asked, his temper obviously rising.  
His birds began to reflect his mood, fluttering around his head irritably. When Minerva looked into the child's eyes, she was suddenly struck with the memory of the Morrigan's eyes, when Minerva had briefly angered her. It was disconcerting, how she was now seeing so many similarities between this child and the death Goddess.  
"I do not think of my living in the wild as a "childish fantasy"." He continued. "It is my duty, my birthright. I am a child of the earth, I am her guardian. The wild is my home, my life. No one will take me away from it, not even you."  
Albus frowned.  
"Mr Potter, I am only concerned for your safety." He said sternly. "Whomever is behind the deaths of your relatives will surely come after you."  
"Then I will be ready for them." Potter replied, a vicious glint in his eye.  
"Now Mr Potter," Albus began. "Violence is never the answer..."  
"Who said anything about violence?" The boy asked, a grin on his angelic face. "I will only hurt those who hurt the earth, or those I care about. But if they want to get to me, they will have to get past the wards that are around my forest."  
His grin widened.  
"I have heard that you are considered the most powerful wizard in the country, if not the world. Well, if you were not able to find me, what chance do these people have?"  
The boy got to his feet.  
"If that is all, I better go."  
"But... Mr Potter, wait..."  
Albus made to stop him, but the child and his birds were out of the door before the old man had even rounded his desk. When the door closed, Albus slumped on his desk and sighed, rubbing his face tiredly.  
"Something must be done about that boy, Minerva." He said.  
Minerva frowned.  
"Albus, I have told you before, Mr Potter is perfectly safe without your interference."  
Albus only shook his head.   
"We must convince him to see reason."  
"No." Minerva argued. "You need to understand that Mr Potter does not need your protection, and nor does he want it."  
Albus sighed again.  
"But can you not see Minerva?" He asked. "He showed no remorse upon hearing of the death of his relatives."  
"Well, can you blame him?" Minerva argued. "They abused him, Albus. They never showed him any affection, starved him, treated him like a slave... They tried to beat him to death, for Merlin's sake."  
Albus sighed and shook his head.  
"He must be taught to feel compassion."  
"He does." Minerva replied. "He is very compassionate towards the earth and his birds."  
"He needs to learn to be compassionate towards humans." Albus retorted.  
Minerva raised an eyebrow.  
"He is very compassionate towards Miss Granger, Mr Longbottom, and Mr Finigan."  
"Yes, I am aware." Albus replied. "However, he does not seem to care for society as a whole."  
"Well, what do you expect?" Minerva snapped. She was honestly beginning to feel as if she were going around in circles with this man. "Society never gave him love, so he feels that he does not feel obligated to give care for society."  
She turned to the door.  
"If you excuse me, I have lessons to teach."

For the rest of the day, Minerva's mind was on Harry Potter, and her visit from The Morrigan. She was absolutely terrified. Not just of who exactly had visited her, but of what the fae had said.  
"The time of the fae is coming once again."  
Morrigan and whoever her associate was were planning something, and it heavily involved Harry Potter. If the old gods were returning, and Harry Potter was in the middle of it... Then the boy was in more danger than even Albus could imagine.  
Minerva was both terrified and angry. Harry Potter was only a boy, and he was a pawn in the schemes of gods. The worst part was that he was completely oblivious to what was truly going on. He trusted his Crow-Friend, that much was obvious. And the poor boy did not even know that the bird he trusted so much was in fact that Irish Goddess of War and Death. Morrigan had admitted it.  
She knew that Potter was unaware of his Crow-Friend's true identity, only because Morrigan did not wish for him to. Minerva felt that informing the child would anger the fae. And while she did wish to tell him, to warn him of the true danger he was in, she also knew that Morrigan would surely kill her if she even tried. And if she was dead, then she would be unable to protect Harry Potter, or any of the other students, for that matter, from the war that was sure to come.  
The old gods were going to return. And when they did, they were going to fight to take back the earth.  
And as much as she hated the idea of doing nothing, she knew that she had to be patient, so she could fight for the students she had sworn to protect.  
But still, she wished to at least somewhat help the boy begin to realise the true danger he was in. She just did not know how.  
She was given an idea that very afternoon.  
She was walking to her office after the last lesson of the day, when she saw Mr Potter standing outside her office door.  
"Mr Potter?" She said in surprise. "Can I help you?"  
"Yes." Mr Potter replied calmly. "Do you know how exactly the Dursleys were killed?"  
Minerva blinked.  
"Why do you ask?"  
Potter shrugged.  
"Call it morbid curiosity." He replied.  
Minerva sighed.  
"Are you sure you wish to hear it?"  
"Don't you think I can handle it?" He asked. "I assure you, I have seen many graphic scenes in the wild. I have seen predators consume live animals, and have seen animals give birth. I have even helped a few."  
Minerva was not sure if the boy was saying he had helped predators eat live animals, or if he had assisted in animals giving birth. Nor did she want to know. She only sighed.  
"Come in, Mr Potter." She said, opening the door. "I would feel more comfortable describing this in my office, where we do not risk being heard by other students."  
Mr Potter nodded slowly.  
"Fine then." He said.  
Once they had sat down at her desk, Minerva proceeded to explain what she had seen the night before. Potter had only sat silently, nodded at some points.  
"Well." He said once Minerva had finished.  
"Well what?" Minerva asked.  
"Their deaths make sense." He said. "They were killed by extreme versions of their favourite punishments for myself. I believe the term is carma."  
Minerva blinked.  
"You seem to handle the graphic depictions better than I thought." She observed.  
Potter shrugged.  
"Crow-Friend has shown me worse in her stories."  
Minerva could feel her stomach fall.  
"Stories?" She asked shakily.  
The boy nodded.  
"She tells me stories about old heroes through images. They are the closest thing I know to bedtime stories."  
Minerva could feel her stomach sink even further. The Morrigan had been telling him stories, that had desensitised him to graphic depictions of violence. She had to admit, it was not completely unexpected.  
"What kind of stories are these?" She asked.  
Potter's lips twitched in a smile.  
"Oh, there's lots." He said, beginning to sound excited. "There's this one where a great warrior slew a one-eyed giant and freed the land from tyranny. And then there are tales about a mysterious woman with incredible magical power. Oh, but some of my favourites are stories about this warrior with uncontrollable rage, though, Crow-Friend doesn't seem to like him..."  
It then struck her. Morrigan had been telling him stories of the Tuatha Dé Danann and old Irish heroes. To the Morrigan, they must have been historical tales. But to Minerva they were a way to warn Mr Potter. The boy was intelligent, so surely, if he saw even a small handful of the versions recorded by humans, then he may be able to make some connections...  
Minerva was broken out of her thoughts by Mr Potter speaking up.  
"Professor?" He asked.  
"Yes, Mr Potter?"  
"I was just wondering," He began. "Do you know who might have killed the Dursleys?"  
Minerva frowned. This was the exact question she had been afraid of. She did not wish to lie to the boy, but at the same time, Morrigan made it clear Mr Potter was not to know of her existence.  
"No." She said.  
The boy studied her with his mysterious green eyes. For some reason, she felt as if he knew she was not telling the truth. However, Potter simply nodded, and got up from his seat.  
"Thank you." He said. "I should leave now."  
He quickly left her office, and Minerva let out a breath she had not known she had been holding.  
That child could honestly be intimidating. Not as intimidating as the Morrigan, but very few creatures were.  
It only begged the question, what exactly was Harry Potter? Morrigan had made it clear he was extremely important to her people. Surely he had to have some sort of power, if he was so important to a race such as the Tuatha Dé Danann. Even before her meeting with Morrigan, she felt as if he were more than human.  
But what was he?  
Minerva shook her head. It did not matter what he was, all that mattered was that he was safe. And Minerva would be dammed before she let anything happen to a child under her care. Even if she had to go against the Irish Goddess of Death, she would protect Harry Potter.  
Minerva decided she had to brush up on her knowledge of the Tuatha Dé Danann. This may help her prepare, if it did come down to a confrontation with Morrigan. And she may even be able to make a list of suspects for the Battle Crow's associate.   
Though she felt it was not enough, it was all she could do at the moment.

Harry was sitting by the edge of the forest, his Unicorn-Friend's head in his lap. After speaking with McGonagall, he had gone out there to clear his mind.  
It was not that he was upset by the deaths of the Dursleys, he couldn't care less about them. He was just surprised at the attack itself. At first, he had thought that it could possibly be supports of the wizard Voldemort, who he had supposedly defeated when he was a baby.  
But after McGonagall had described exactly how they had died, he was suspicious.  
Vernon Dursley had been beaten to death, and Petunia had been burnt until she had died. These had been their favourite ways to punish him. The mere thought caused him to feel the stabbing pain of the belt buckle upon his back, and his hands to feel the same burning from the stove.  
It was as if whoever had killed them had been trying to make them suffer, just as much as he had. But who? And how would they have even known?  
He was broken out of his thoughts by approaching footsteps. The earth told him who she was, even before he looked up.  
"Harry, there you are. We are..."  
She suddenly gasped. Harry looked up to see Hermione, her mouth wide.  
"Harry, is that a...?" She began.  
"Hermione, come, sit." He began, gesturing to his side.  
Hermione eyed the creature in Harry's lap, before sitting next to Harry, on the side that wasn't currently occupied by the body of a unicorn.  
"Harry, are you seriously sitting with a unicorn's head in your lap?" She asked, before shaking her head. "Never mind, I guess I shouldn't be so surprised."  
Harry chuckled.  
"Do you want to feel her mane?" He asked. "I'm sure she won't mind."  
The unicorn snorted in agreement.  
Hermione extended a shaking hand and gently touched the unicorn's mane.  
"She's so soft." Hermione breathed.  
Harry smiled.  
"I know."  
They both sat in silence, just stroking the unicorn. Finally, Hermione spoke.  
"Harry, we've been looking everywhere for you." She began. "What's going on? All day you've been... Distracted."  
Harry sighed. He hadn't mentioned anything concerning his discussion with Dumbledore to his friends.  
"I am sorry to worry you." He began. "It's just..."  
He shook his head.  
"Dumbledore told me something... Surprising, this morning."  
"What?" Hermione asked in obvious concern.  
"Apparently, the Dursleys, well, at least the adult ones, were brutally killed last night."  
Hermione's eyes widened in horror.  
"Oh, Harry, I... Well, I..."  
"It's alright." He said calmly. "I'm indifferent towards them, really. It's just... I just asked McGonagall how exactly they were killed, and well..."  
"Harry, why would you ask something like that?" Hermione asked.  
Harry shrugged.  
"I was curious. But now... It's given me more questions."  
"Why?"  
"Because," Harry began. "They were killed using extreme forms of their favourite punishments for me. How would anyone know how they had liked to punish me?"  
Harry tightened his fists in his Unicorn-Friend's mane, and she snorted in discomfort.  
"Sorry." He said before continuing. "Hermione, I feel... I feel as if someone has been watching me. It's the only thing I can think of."  
Hermione took his hand in hers. Harry could fill a thrill go up his arm.  
"It's okay Harry." She said. "We can figure this out."  
Harry nodded.  
"I know."  
He sighed again.  
"It's just... I wish I knew who did it, and if they did it to scare me or to punish the Dursleys for what they did to me. I asked McGonagall if she had any idea who might have done it."  
"And what did she say?"  
Harry sighed.  
"She said she didn't, but I... I think she wasn't being completely honest."  
Hermione frowned.  
"Harry, I'm sure she had her reasons..."  
"I don't care why." Harry retorted. "I just don't like being lied to."  
He sighed.  
"My entire life, people have kept secrets from me. I did not even know magic existed until Crow-Friend showed me, and I didn't know the truth about what happened to my parents until McGonagall told me."  
He sighed.  
"For a long time, the only ones I trusted were my birds, Crow-Friend and Swan-Friend."  
Hermione squeezed his hand.  
"You can trust me." She said. "And Neville, and Seamus."  
Harry smiled.  
"Yeah, I know." He replied.  
They both sat in silence for a long time. Finally, Unicorn-Friend lifted her head from Harry's lap and stood up. She sent him a message.  
"Oh, okay." He said.  
"What?" Hermione asked.  
"Unicorn-Friend says we should go." He replied. "It's getting late, apparently."  
They both got to there feet. After saying goodbye to the unicorn, they walked back up to the castle.  
Harry's mind was a little clearer, but he could not help but wonder.   
Who had killed the Dursleys? Why had they done it in such a specific way? How had they known how they used to punish him? And what exactly was McGonagall keeping from him?  
Harry shook his head. These were questions that he would have to answer later. But he would find the answers. If there was someone capable of such brutality out there, he would prefer to know what exactly they intended to do with him. If they wished to come after him, then he knew that he would do his best to ensure the safety of his friends. He would not let anyone harm the ones he loved. His birds and his human friends alike were as much under his protection as the earth. And when he said something was under his protection, he meant it.


	9. Alliance and trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minerva makes a very unlikely ally, whom she trusts only a little more than the fae. Also, Harry and friends decide to begin their own investigation.

Chapter 9:

For the next week, Minerva continued to watch Severus carefully. Ever since the day after Halloween, he had been acting strangely. His eyes kept darting about, as if he expected an attack at any moment.  
From what she had heard, the professor was acting differently in class. Before, complaints from students concerning the potions master were numerous. Now, it seemed that Severus was, for the most part, leaving his students alone, save for when he had to instruct them.  
And then there was how he acted around Harry Potter.  
Every time Severus saw the boy in question, he would avoid him like the plague. Whenever Potter entered the Great Hall, Severus would quickly finish his food before quickly leaving the room.  
All this led to only one conclusion. Either the Morrigan, or her associate, had paid Severus a visit. And it obviously did not go well, as Severus seemed to have also developed a limp, suggesting he had been injured.  
There was only one way to find out. She had to confront Severus, and find out what exactly had happened to him.  
So in the early morning, only a week after Halloween, she stood in front of Severus's office door. She knocked.  
"Who is it?"  
Came the voice of the potions master.  
"It's me Severus." Minerva replied. "I need to talk to you, now."  
After a few seconds, the door swung open. Severus quickly looked around, as if he were expecting someone to jump out of the shadows. Once he confirmed there was no one waiting to attack him, he gestured for Minerva to enter. Once she did, he quickly closed the door and moved behind his desk.  
"What is it?" He asked.  
Minerva let out a breath.  
"Severus, you have been acting strangely ever since the day after Halloween." She began.  
"It is nothing." Severus replied.  
"No, it's not." Minerva argued. "Something happened to you, and I want to know what."  
Severus clenched his fists.  
"I... Cannot say." He said.  
Minerva raised an eyebrow.  
"Does it have something to do with the Tuatha Dé Danann?"  
Severus flinched, and his eyes widened.  
"I..." He sucked in a deep breath. "Just after we found the dead troll. He was in my office, sitting on my desk, waiting for me."  
"He?" Minerva asked.  
"Yes, he."  
Minerva thought for a minute. So Morrigan's associate was a male. That did narrow the list down.  
"Do you remember what he looked like?" Minerva asked.  
Severus appeared to be trying to remain calm. However, Minerva could clearly see an emotion in his eyes that might have been fear.  
"He was young." Severus began slowly. "And he looked almost exactly like an older version of Potter, including the birds. The only difference was that his hair was golden blond."  
Minerva frowned.  
"Did he mention what his name was?" She asked.  
"No." Severus replied. "I have tried to research who he might have been, but every time I think I have found something... The words escape me."  
Minerva pursed her lips. This was concerning. The Morrigan's associate was obviously using whatever powers he held to prevent Severus from find out what his name was. He must have been truly powerful, to have affected Severus in such a way from the Otherworld.  
"What did he do to you?" Minerva asked.  
Severus shuddered.  
"He showed me... Images. Images of... Of pain. He seemed to want me to know what exactly Potter had had to suffer through his childhood."  
Minerva could not help but feel slightly satisfied.  
"Now do you see why Mr Potter should never have been left with his mother's relatives?"  
Severus scowled.  
"Does it really matter?" He asked dryly. "They are dead now."  
Minerva nodded.  
"And do you have any theories as to who exactly killed them?"  
Severus frowned.  
"I presume that man had something to do with it."  
Minerva shook her head.  
"Less him, and more his associate."  
"His associate?" Severus asked, a hint of nervousness in his voice.  
Minerva nodded.  
"You were not the only one who was visit by a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann on Halloween."  
"Who?" Severus asked.  
Minerva studied him carefully.  
"You said that you have been doing some research, trying to find out who the man was?"  
Severus nodded.  
"Well, in your investigation, have you stumbled upon the name "Morrigan"?"  
Severus visibly blanched.  
"No." He breathed.  
Minerva nodded gravely.  
"She told me that Harry Potter was very important to her people, and that I was to be his mortal guardian."  
Severus nodded.  
"The man told me the same thing."  
Minerva raised an eyebrow.  
"Why you?" She asked.  
"It does not matter." Severus replied. "All that matters is, why is Harry Potter of all people so important to the Tuatha Dé Danann?"  
Minerva shook her head.  
"I do not know." She said. "All I know is that we have been court up in the games of gods, and we need to be careful."  
She looked at Severus seriously.  
"Morrigan is one of the few who can wander our world, without being summoned and without it being Samhain."  
Severus frowned.  
"Are you saying that the Irish Goddess of war and death could decide to pay us a visit at any moment?"  
"No." Minerva replied. "She has already been here. She has been watching over Potter and teaching him for three years. She has even been here, at Hogwarts."  
"How?" Severus asked.  
Minerva sucked in a breath.  
"Have you ever seen Mr Potter with a crow?"  
"Yes, but..."  
Severus's eyes widened.  
"No."  
Minerva nodded.  
"Yes." She replied.  
Severus began to rub his temples.  
"Of course Potter would have a war goddess on his shoulder."  
"And he does not even know it." Minerva continued. "She can only take the form of a crow while in our world, and she does not want Potter to know that she is more than a bird."  
Severus sucked in several long, deep breaths.  
"So what are you suggesting we do?" He asked.  
Minerva looked at him with determination in her eyes.  
"We protect Harry Potter, from both mortal and immortal threats."  
Severus scowled.  
"What do you mean by "we"?"  
"I mean," Minerva replied. "We need to work together. I am aware that we have never quite seen eye to eye, but this is more important than any past disagreements."  
She looked at him seriously.  
"The Morrigan and whoever her associate is made us his mortal guardians, so that is what we shall be. I do not know why you of all people were chosen, but it does not matter. All that matters is that the fae are playing games with the life of a mortal child."  
Her expression hardened.  
"Morrigan told me that the old gods are returning, and that Harry Potter will be instrumental in their return. And I do not know about you, but I am not about to let him or any others be harmed by the manipulations of these beings."  
Severus stared at her for a long time.  
"Fine." He finally said. "I will help you in this foolish endeavor."  
Minerva nodded.  
"Thank you." She said.  
As Minerva turned to leave, she could have sworn she heard Severus muttering under his breath.  
"I'm not doing it for you, or for him."  
She frowned, but decided to let it go for now.

Harry was excited. This was the day of his first quidditch match.  
Over the past month or so, he had developed a love for the sport. He had already loved the concept of flying. In the air, he was as free as his birds.  
But Quidditch, this game only added to the enjoyment.  
He loved the exhilaration of the fast paced flying. The thrill of so many people in the air, flying at incredible speeds, battling for victory.  
Even the thought of it sent excited chills up his spine.  
He was especially excited because of his beautiful new broom. Weeks ago, he had received it from Professor McGonagall in secret, so he didn't have to use one of the old, damaged school brooms.  
It was one of the latest models, a nimbus 2000. It flew through the air so elegantly, so gracefully, so easily.  
In short, Harry was eager for the game to begin.  
This was evident during breakfast, as he did not seem to be capable of sitting still.  
"Harry, are you okay?" Hermione asked as he ye! again fidgeted with his fork.  
"Oh, yeah." Harry replied absently. "It's just... The game later..."  
"I understand if you're nervous..." Hermione began.  
Harry laughed.  
"Nervous? Are you kidding? I'm excited." He replied. "I just can't wait to get up there."  
Hermione sighed.  
"Of course you are." She muttered.  
"What are you worried about?" Harry asked.  
"Nothing, it's just..." She began. "I've heard that Quidditch can be quite dangerous."  
Neville nodded in agreement.  
"Yeah, I don't know how you can be so excited to leave the ground." He added.  
Harry snorted.  
"I love the air, just as much as I love the earth." He said. "And anyway, the danger is half the fun."  
Neville groaned, Hermione face-palmed, and Seamus laughed.  
"Haven't either of you noticed that Harry's practically fearless?"  
Harry frowned. That wasn't exactly true, but he wasn't about to reveal that, not even to his friends. He decided to change the subject.  
"So, I was just thinking." He began. "The quidditch pitch can be dangerous, and I will be flying pretty fast. I was wandering if the three of you could watch by birds, just so they don't get hurt."  
"Of course." Hermione replied, with the two boys nodding.  
Harry smiled.  
"Great, thanks."  
Soon after this, breakfast ended and Hermione, Seamus and Neville, along with four birds, went from the spectator stands, while Harry went for the changing rooms.

Harry was still fidgeting with excitement as he waited for the game to begin. He and the rest of the team were standing on the other side of the gate which would open onto the pitch. He did not know why it was taking so long for the game to begin.  
"Nervous?"  
Harry turned to the team captain, Oliver Wood.  
"No." Harry replied. "Just sick of waiting. Honestly, what's taking them so long."  
Wood chuckled.  
"They've got to wait for the entire school to arrive. There's a lot of people out there."  
Harry shrugged.  
"Don't care, I just won't to get into the air."  
Wood chuckled again.  
"That's the spirit."  
Harry looked at the rest of the Gryffindor quidditch team. He had come to know them all better over the past month and a half. And while he would not exactly call them his friends, he still felt some connection between the seven of them.  
Oliver wood was a good leader. He was determined, but also fare. He was hard in practice, but cared about the wellbeing of his team.  
The three chasers, Angelina Johnson, Alicia Spinnett, and Kate Bell, were thankfully not what he expected. He had feared that they would be overly concerned for his safety, as he had seen many members of the female sex be over smaller children. And thanks to his size, his status as the youngest on the team was only amplified.  
However, he was pleasantly surprised when they did not, in fact, treat him as if he were a fragile piece of glass. They treated him just as they treated the rest of the team, and he was thankful. Especially since Kate Bell was only a year above him, which would have made her being protective over him even more awkward.  
And then, there were the twins, Fred and George. They were the older brothers of Ron Weasley, the fool who had insulted Hermione, but they were thankfully nothing like their youngest brother. They were tougher, less prone to complaining, and they had a wicked sense of humour. He found their trickster nature amusing, and he appreciated their tendency to lighten up any situation they were in.  
He liked the Gryffindor Quidditch team, and was excited to be flying with them.  
Finally, after what he felt was too long of a time, the gates opened.

Hermione, Seamus and Neville sat with the rest of Gryffindor in the stands, watching as the small figures that were the two teams entered the sky. Harry's birds had quickly taken to them, with one going to Seamus and Neville each, while two accompanied Hermione.  
"Excuse me! Pardon me! Coming through!"  
All three turned to see the large form of Hagrid. Harry had introduced the three of them to the giant of a man some weeks ago, and they found his company enjoyable.  
"Hey Hagrid." Neville said. "You here to see the game?"  
"O course." Hagrid said as he took a seat before the three. He took a large pair of binoculars out of his large coat.  
"They're really fast." Neville commented.  
"Which one's Harry?" Seamus asked.  
"That one." Hagrid said, pointing to a lone figure on the edge of the pitch.  
For the next half hour or so, they continued to watch as the two teams flew about the pitch. Harry did continues circuits of the pitch, seemingly looking for the golden snitch.  
Then, just as it seemed he found the small golden ball, something strange happened.  
"Hey, what's going on?" Seamus asked.  
"I don't know." Neville replied nervously.  
Hermione frowned.  
"This better not be one of his stupid stunts."  
She grabbed the binoculars from Hagrid and pressed them to her eyes.  
"No... It... It looks like he's lost control of his broom."

Harry did not know how much time had passed. He was too wrapped up in the excitement of flying. The wind whistling through his hair, the feeling of freedom...  
But he had a job. He had to find and catch the gold snitch before the other team's seeker did.  
After a long time of searching and flying around, he thought he had found something. But as he went to investigate, something happened to his broom. It began to shake violently, and it took all of Harry strength to hang on. He tried to sense the magic within the broom, but it was difficult. As he was separated from the earth, he did not as full access to his power.  
All he could do was hang on, and hope that this ended soon.

Hermione bit her lip as she saw Harry being jerked about on his broom.  
"Something's wrong with that broom." She muttered.  
"Oh, he's going to fall." Neville said as he covered his eyes with his hand.  
"Don't worry, I'm sure he'll figure out something." Seamus said, though his voice was uncertain.  
Hermione's frown deepened. What was going on with that thing? It was as if someone was jinxing it, but who?  
Suddenly, a dark shape blocked her view. She removed the binoculars to see that Harry's crow was hovering in front of her face.  
"Errr, hey?" She said hesitantly.  
The crow squawked.  
"Do you have any idea what's going on?" Hermione asked. She knew that it must seem ridicules, asking a crow for help. But according to Harry, this was no ordinary bird.  
The crow squawked again, before flying away. She put the binoculars back to her eyes and watched the crow's progress.  
The crow flew towards the teaches stands, and one professor in particular.  
"Quirrell?" She muttered.  
"What?" Seamus asked.  
"For some reason, Harry's crow thinks that Professor Quirrell is behind Harry's broom trying to throw him off." Hermione replied.  
She watched as the crow flew towards Quirrell, and proceeded to drop a white bomb right on his turban. Quirrell frantically tried to wipe away the mess as it dripped into his eyes. Hermione would have found this amusing, if not for the circumstances.  
"Look!"  
Hermione was drawn back by Seamus's exclamation.  
"What?" She asked.  
"It's Harry."  
"Oh, don't tell me." Neville whimpered.  
"No, his broom, it's stopped jerking."  
Hermione turned the binoculars to see that, indeed, Harry had gained back control of his wayward broom. However, there was a new concern.  
"He's falling!" She yelled.

Harry had been surprised when his previously out-of-control broom suddenly stopped trying to throw him off. But he quickly recovered when he saw a glimmer of gold.  
The snitch.  
He went in an almost vertical decent down, chasing after the illusive ball.  
Closer. Closer.  
He reached out his hand.  
Almost... Almost...  
He suddenly slipped off the front of his broom, tumbling the last few feet to the ground. He felt something in his throat, and he attempted to cough it up.  
Suddenly, something came out of his mouth and the golden snitch fell into his hand. He held it up triumphantly, and the entire pitch erupted into the loud noise of hundreds of people applauding.  
"Harry!"  
He turned to see Hermione, Seamus and Neville running towards him with his birds. Before he knew it, the bushy haired girl was upon him, wrapping him in an embrace so tight that he found it hard to breathe.  
"Oh, Harry, I was so worried..."  
"Her... Mi... One..."  
"Your broom was just so out of control..."  
"Herm..."  
"I thought that you were going to fall for sure..."  
"Hermione!"  
Came the booming voice of Hagrid.  
"Let him go, yeh chokin him."  
Blushing, she let him go. As soon as he was free, his birds returned to his head.  
"Sorry." She muttered.  
Harry shrugged.  
"It's fine." He replied.

Later, the four of them lay in a ruff circle near the lake. The three had just informed Harry of what had occurred while he was attempting to stay on his broom.  
"So you think that Quirrell was doing something to my broom?" He asked.  
Hermione shrugged.  
"Your Crow seems to think so."  
Harry nodded slowly.  
"Yes, Crow-Friend has some pretty good instincts, and Quirrell is quite suspicious."  
"What do you mean?" Seamus asked.  
"That stutter, for example." Harry began. "It's obviously fake."  
"How can you tell?" Neville asked.  
Harry rolled his eyes.  
"I'm a bard, I can tell overacting when I see it, and Quirrell is most definitely overacting when it comes to his fear of pretty much everything."  
The other three exchanged a look.  
"In any case," Harry continued. "We need to figure out why exactly Quirrell was jinxing my broom."  
They all stared at each other blankly.  
"I've got nothing." Seamus said after a long pause.  
"No idea." Neville added.  
Harry only shook his head and frowned in puzzlement.  
"Honestly," Hermione began. "I don't see why anyone would want to kill you. I mean, You-Know-Who tried when you were a baby, but..."  
Harry slapped his forehead.  
"Of course." He said. "It must have something to do with Voldemort."  
Harry ignored how his three friends flinched at the name.  
"B... But isn't You-Know-Who supposed to be dead?" Neville asked hesitantly.  
Harry frowned.  
"Maybe he's a secret supporter, looking for some kind of revenge."  
Hermione shook her head.  
"But he's a teacher..."  
"And?" Harry retorted. "It's the perfect cover. No one would suspect a teacher to be behind the death of a student."  
There was a long silence.  
"You know, he has a point." Seamus said finally.  
Hermione pursed her lips.  
"Fine, so it is true. But what are we going to do about it? We don't exactly have any proof."  
"Then I'll keep an eye on him." Harry said determinedly.  
"I think you mean "we", not "i"." Seamus retorted.  
Harry shook his head.  
"No, it's too dangerous. I can take care of myself."  
"Look, we know you're powerful Harry," Hermione began. "And yeah, you might be able to hold you own against Quirrell. But that doesn't mean you should."  
Neville and Seamus nodded.  
"We're your friends." Seamus added. "And we'll be stronger together."  
Harry could feel the already strong connection between the four of them growing. He was feeling things that he had not felt outside of his forest and his animal friends. Acceptance, companionship, love. Things that he had longed for in his earliest years, back when he had been that little boy in the cupboard. Things he had never thought he could get from humans.  
He smiled.  
"Thanks." He managed.  
His three friends smiled in return.

Minerva sat at the desk in her office, a flask of fire-whisky in one hand. Opposite her was the man whom she had never thought would be her ally, except for in the most dire of situations.  
"So what you are telling me is that Quirrell attempted to kill Harry Potter, in front of everyone?" She asked.  
Severus scowled.  
"Yes, I have already told you this." He said. "Did you not see him, staring at Potter without breaking eye-contact?"  
"I was a little distracted with the student who's broom was trying to buck him off, several hundred feet in the air." Minerva retorted.  
"Well," Severus continued. "I was busy casting a counter-curse, but I couldn't have kept it up for much longer. But then..."  
"Then?" Minerva prompted.  
Severus shuddered.  
"That crow... Flew towards Quirrell and..."  
Minerva's grip in her flask tightened.  
"What did the Morrigan do to Quirrell."  
"She deposited a large amount of faeces onto his head." Severus replied without a hint of amusement.  
Minerva almost choked on her fire-whisky.  
"The Morrigan... On his head?"  
"Yes." Severus replied. "He obviously cleared it up before anyone besides myself noticed."  
Minerva had to process this. The Morrigan was usually more violent than this, but perhaps she was trying to be a little more discrete.  
"And so after that Quirrell broke his eye-contact?"  
Severus nodded.  
Minerva frowned.  
"Why would Quirrell try to kill Harry Potter?"  
Severus's eyes darted around. Then, he lent in closer.  
"Albus believes he is in league with the Dark Lord."  
Minerva's eyes widened.  
"But You-Know-Who is dead." She said in shock.  
Severus shook his head.  
"Not according to Albus. He believes that the Dark Lord has been biding his time, waiting for the right moment."  
Minerva's frown deepened.  
"But what is You-Know-Who planning? Or, what does Albus believe he's planning?"  
Severus scoffed.  
"Isn't it obvious?" He asked. "After all, we were both asked to help construct protections by Albus."  
Minerva's eyes widened.  
"He's after whatever Albus is hiding on the third floor corridor." She said in realisation.  
Severus nodded.  
"Quirrell attempted to make a move for it on Halloween, but I stopped him, and got attacked but that three-headed beast Rubeus calls a pet."  
"Is that how you injured your leg?" Minerva asked.  
"Of course." Severus replied. "How else would I have done it?"  
Minerva shook her head.  
"I thought that The Morrigan's associate had done it."  
Severus laughed bitterly.  
"No, he much prefers to play around with the mind, rather than the body."  
Minerva nodded.  
"Yes. Speaking of which, have you had any progress in finding out who this associate is exactly?"  
Severus shook his head.  
"No. I have even tried wearing iron, but whatever spell that prevents me from remembering the name will not break."  
Minerva frowned.  
"Perhaps the iron only prevents spells from being cast, and doesn't block the spells which have already been put on you." She theorised.  
"Well, in any case." Severus said, standing. "I best be leaving. No doubt Albus wishes for my report now."  
The potion's master turned to leave.  
"Severus, wait."  
He turned back to her.  
"Thank you." She said.  
Severus scowled.  
"I only did it because of our agreement."  
Minerva nodded.  
"Fine then."  
And with that, Severus left, leaving Minerva alone with her thoughts.  
She did not trust Severus. Far from it. But right now, she trusted him far more than she trusted The Morrigan, or her associate.  
She was still not certain why Severus Snape of all people was chosen as a mortal guardian of Harry Potter by the fae. Perhaps Morrigan's associate had seen something in the man that Minerva hadn't. If only she knew who he was. Then perhaps that could give her some clue as to why Severus was chosen.  
In any case, he was bound to protect Harry Potter, just as she was. And while he may not be completely willing, at least she knew he didn't have any possible nefarious plans for the boy. Which was more than she could say for the fae.  
But at least he was taking some precautions.  
She knew that, as well as keeping iron on his person at all times, Severus had also put the metal all over his quarters. Which was a precaution she had also taken, as well as putting some in her office. Hopefully, this would mean no surprise visits from any fae.  
She sipped her fire-whisky and thought about what she and Severus had discussed.  
Quirrell had tried to kill Harry Potter, because he was somehow working for You-Know-Who. A dark wizard who was supposed to be long dead, but who was apparently after whatever Albus was guarding.  
She had wondered what could warrant such precautions. But Albus had merely brushed her concerns off, as he always did. But now, there was a greater concern. If You-Know-Who was after whatever Albus wanted to keep safe, then why would he put it in a school? Surely he realised he w@s putting the students in danger? Or perhaps he had merely had the traps set up as a way to trick You-Know-Who? Surely not even Albus was mad enough to hide a possibly powerful, and possibly dangerous object in Hogwarts?  
But then again, he knew that Quirrell was working for You-Know-Who, and that he would go after whatever it was the dark wizard wanted.  
Was whatever it was truly in the school, or was this merely a way to lure out You-Know-Who?  
Either way, Albus had willingly put the students into danger.  
Minerva shook her head. It was getting late, and she would have to think over all these questions later.  
Something told her that, whatever Albus was planning, it had something to do with Harry Potter. The headmaster had too much of an invested interest in the boy.  
Unfortunately for Albus, however, Minerva was going to do everything in her power to prevent these plans. If she was not going to let Harry Potter be a pawn in the games of the Tuatha Dé Danann, then she was most certainly not going to let Albus Dumbledore use the child in his own games.  
She was going to protect Harry Potter, whether it be from Albus Dumbledore, You-Know-Who, or the fae.


	10. Return to the forest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minerva does not know what is giving her more of a headache, Albus's stubornness or the net of mystery around Harry Potter. At least Harry's happy, back in his forest.

Chapter 10:

Minerva sighed as she walked up the staircase to Albus's office. It was only a few days before the end of term, and she was looking forward to at least some more free time, if only so she might be able to do some more research into The Morrigan and the rest of the fae.  
Albus had requested her presence, stating that there was an urgent matter to discuss. She already knew what he wanted to discuss. Not a week had gone by that the man had not brought up the very same subject.  
As she opened the door, she saw Albus sitting behind his desk, with his usual smile and twinkling eyes.  
"Ahh, Minerva," He began. "Thank you for arriving so quickly. Please, take a seat. Lemon drop?"  
She took the seat, but declined the sweet.  
"You wished to discuss something with me Albus?" She asked already knowing the answer.  
"Ahh, yes." Albus replied, the twinkle in his eyes dimming for a few seconds.  
"Is it concerning Harry Potter?" She asked.  
Albus nodded.  
"Yes, you see, I was examining the list of students remaining at Hogwarts for the Christmas Holidays, and I was surprised to find that Mr Potter's name was absent."  
"Yes, that would be because he will not be remaining at Hogwarts during the Holidays." Minerva replied.  
Albus frowned.  
"I am afraid I cannot allow that." He said.  
"And why not?" Minerva asked, raising an eyebrow.  
"Is it not obvious?" Albus asked. "I still have not found suitable accommodations for the boy outside of Hogwarts. Now that his relatives are unfortunately dead, there is no place outside of this school safe enough for him to remain for an extended period of time. It may take another few months before..."  
"Albus, I have already told you multiple times," Minerva interjected. "Harry Potter is perfectly safe. His current living area is heavily warded. Not even you could find him. The only reason why I was able to find him was because I was permitted to enter, and with much hesitation."  
Albus frowned, then his expression lit up.  
"Ah, yes of course." He said. "You know where Mr Potter had hid himself for three years. Perhaps you could show me this location, just so I may examine these wards."  
Minerva shook her head.  
"I am afraid I cannot. The wards are preventing me."  
And even if they weren't, she would not dare try to reveal the location of Harry Potter's forest. She doubted The Morrigan would appreciate this.  
"If you are unable to show me the location of where Mr Potter will be hiding, then I am afraid I cannot allow him to leave the school." Albus said.  
Minerva scoffed.  
"What will you do Albus, hold the boy hostage?"  
Albus shook his head.  
"No, I have the right to hold temporary custody of Harry Potter, until I am able to find him a suitable new home."  
Minerva raised an eyebrow.  
"How? Last I was aware, such a thing was not in your power as headmaster."  
Albus shook his head.  
"I assure you, I am well within my rights."  
"Well then, I wish you luck." She said. "Harry Potter is as easy to control as a raging storm."  
And with that, she left the office.  
She thought about what Albus may do. She knew that Harry Potter was no ordinary wizard, and that Albus would be hard pressed to keep a hold of him. She had no doubt that, with the help of The Morrigan, he may be able to escape whatever the headmaster was planning.  
But she still felt that she should warn him at least.

Later, she called Mr Potter to her office. She heard a soft yet firm knock on her door.  
"Enter." She called.  
The door swung open to reveal Harry Potter, with his birds and The Morrigan, the later of whom was perched on the boy's shoulder.  
"You wanted to speak with me Pro..."  
As soon as Potter set a foot over the threshold of her office, he froze. His eyes became wide, his hands shook. The Morrigan squawked in anger.  
"Mr Potter."  
She got up from her desk, rushing over to the child in her doorway. He had now fallen to the stone floor and was convulsing violently.  
"Mr Potter, what is..."  
She reached out a hand, only for Morrigan to peck her sharply. Blood began to well from her hand, but she did not flinch.  
However, she did stumble back when the battle crow flew towards her face.  
She was reasonably afraid. After all, who wouldn't be frightened when The Morrigan was seemingly about to attack you. However, she was honestly surprised when the crow did not claw her eyes out, but instead went to the side of her neck.  
Only a few seconds later, she felt a shallow cut on the side of her neck, where The Morrigan's talons had scratched her, and she heard a clatter on the ground. She looked over to see the circle of iron she had attached to a string around her neck, to ward off the fae. Morrigan was glaring at her, which again, was a terrifying sight.  
Suddenly, she saw images in her mind of her touching Mr Potter while still wearing the iron, and the boy being severely injured. Her eyes widened.  
Harry Potter could not come into contact with iron, or someone wearing it. Of course. That was why he was currently on her floor in complete agony. She had of course warded her entire office with iron, just to... Wait.  
She quickly turned back to Potter, who was still on the floor. The boy had gone frightfully pale.  
"Hold on Mr Potter." She said, leaning down.  
She scooped the boy into her arms and carried him out of her office.  
"The earth..." He said in a croaking voice. "Need... The earth."  
Minerva nodded, not questioning him. She took the quickest root she knew to the grounds. Once she burst out of the front doors, she rushed to a clear patch of the snow covered earth, where there would be fewer witnesses. She laid the child down on the earth and waited.  
Morrigan flew past her and landed next to the boy's head, still glaring at Minerva.  
Minerva did not care at the moment. All she cared for was the health of Harry Potter.  
After only a few seconds, the colour began to return to his face. His breathing steadied, and he blinked his eyes opened.  
"What... Was that?" He asked, still weary.  
Minerva pursed her lips.  
"I do not completely know." She replied. "How do you feel?"  
"Better." He replied. "A little dizzy."  
Minerva nodded.  
"I believe the earth is doing you some good."  
The boy nodded.  
"Yes, I can feel her energy within me." He said.  
They were silent for a few minutes. Then, Potter sat up shakily.  
"So, what did you want to speak with me about?" He asked.  
Minerva shook her head, remembering what exactly she had originally called Mr Potter to her office for.  
"Yes, of course." She began. "I was speaking with the headmaster earlier. He is... Concerned, for your safety, and wished to keep you at Hogwarts until he finds a suitable home."  
Potter rolled his eyes.  
"Has he forgotten about the forest that not even he can find?"  
Minerva shook her head.  
"Honestly, I do not know what goes through that man's head most days."  
She sighed.  
"I only thought I should warn you, he may try to keep you here against your will."  
Potter snorted.  
"I would like to see him try." He said. "I must return to my forest. I have been away for too long, and I must restrengthen the wards."  
Minerva nodded.  
"I am perfectly aware of that, and I will not stop you from leaving."  
Potter nodded.  
"Thank you."  
Minerva got to her feet.  
"Will you be alright?" She asked.  
Mr Potter nodded.  
"Yes, I feel much better. Thank you." He replied.  
Minerva nodded.  
"Good."  
She turned and walked back towards the castle. However, before she could enter the doors, The Morrigan sent her a series of images which showed a pretty clear message. She was to remove every single sliver of iron from her office, or there would be consequences.  
Minerva had been about to do such a thing in any case. She did not wish for a repeat of what had happened to Mr Potter. And if she was to have him in her office again, she would have to remove the iron warding.  
But this did reveal something new concerning Harry Potter.  
The boy could not stand iron. It greatly weakened him, just as it did to the fae. Now that she thought about it, even The Morrigan had seemed weaker in her office. Though, she supposed that the reason why the crow hadn't reacted as badly as Potter was because she was so powerful. Either that, or she was very resilient.  
But that did not change the fact that Harry Potter had had a negative reaction to iron. The fae were repelled by iron. So this could only mean one thing.  
Harry Potter, was a fae.  
She doubted that with such a strong reaction, he was only partially fae. No, he was a full blooded creature of the Otherworld.  
But how? Last she was aware, James and Lily had been perfectly human. There was no way two humans could produce a... Unless...  
No. It couldn't be.  
She had heard legends of this creature, but never thought that such a thing could happen in this day and age, when the fae and the Tuatha Dé Danann were little more than myth. But all the sines were leading to the one conclusion.  
She then thought about what boy she and Severus had observed.  
Even the day after Halloween, she had seen similarities between the child and The Morrigan. She had at first thought it was due to the fae being the closest thing Potter had had to a guardian in the wild, but perhaps it was something much deeper than his nurture. Perhaps, it was his nature.  
And then, Severus had said that The Morrigan's male associate had born a striking resemblance to Harry Potter. Could it be?  
But did the child even know? No, of course not. Morrigan had clearly stated that he did not know of his "Crow-Friend's" true identity.  
It all made sense now. Why Harry Potter was so instrumental in the plans of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Why he possessed so many strange powers.  
Because he was one of them, even if he did not know.  
Minerva shook her head.  
It made no difference. She would still protect him. He was after all, still an innocent child. And she would protect all children under her care, whether they be a human child, or a changeling child.

It was almost too easy for Harry to leave the school with his friends. He knew that Dumbledore had some sort of lookout, to inform the old man of when he was about to leave.  
All he had to do was use his magic to make him and his birds seem like part of the crowd. It was a simple allusion, and cost little energy. His friends didn't even notice.  
Once they were on the train and headed back to London, they began talking about the coming holidays.  
"I can't wait to go home." Hermione said. "It will be so nice to see my parents. They were a little concerned when I told them about the troll, but..."  
"Wait, you seriously told your parents about the troll?" Seamus asked incredulously.  
Hermione fiddled with a few strands of her hair nervously.  
"Well, umm... yes." She replied. "It's just... I don't like keeping secrets from my parents."  
Harry nodded.  
"There should be no secrets in families, unless absolutely necessary." He said. "You did the right thing."  
"Of course you would think that." Seamus said, rolling his eyes. "You practically worship her."  
Hermione blushed and Harry merely shrugged.  
"While we're talking about secrets," Harry began. "I know this kind of contradicts what I just said Seamus, but I would appreciate it if you did not refer to me as "The Fae-child", in front of your family, especially not your uncle. It's not that I actually believe their rumours, it's just that I would rather not cause any conflict between you and your family. They obviously care about you, but fear can make normally rational people do truly horrible things."  
Seamus nodded.  
"I understand." He said. "And anyway, knowing Uncle Riley, he'll probably make me where a suit of armour completely made of iron."  
They all laughed.  
"So, what do you have planned for Christmas?" Hermione asked.  
"Gran and I have this thing we do every year. It's... Complicated." Neville said quietly.  
Seamus shrugged.  
"Probably just a day with the family. Can't wait for the food, though."  
Hermione nodded.  
"I'll probably do the same."  
They turned to Harry.  
"How about you Harry?" Seamus asked.  
Harry shrugged.  
"I don't exactly celebrate Christmas."  
All three of his friends blinked.  
"What?" Seamus finally asked.  
Harry shrugged.  
"Back when I lived with the Dursleys, they would always make me cook them a large and extravagant dinner comprising of everything from turkey to pudding, then they would lock me in the cupboard while the opened presents and watched some Christmas movies designed to exploit the holiday. After I found my forest, I found no need to celebrate any human holiday. The closest thing I had were the four times of year I could hear music. That was when I knew it was a special name. Like the earth herself was celebrating something."  
"You mean like the music we heard on my birthday?" Hermione asked.  
Harry shook his head.  
"No, your birthday is not one of those four days. Though, I do think it a very special day."  
Hermione's face turned pink, and so she cleared her throat.  
"Anyway," She continued. "I know you just said you do not celebrate Christmas, but do you think you would like to join me for the holiday? I mean, I would have to ask my parents, but I'm sure they'll be happy if I brought a friend around."  
"Yeah, I think I can probably get my parents to agree with me inviting Harry around." Seamus argued. "If you don't mind sharing."  
"If it's alright, I would also like to spend some time with Harry on Christmas." Neville said hesitantly. "Gran just really wants to meet him and... Well, if it's okay with you of course Harry."  
Harry stared around at his friends. Were they seriously arguing over who got to have him over for Christmas?  
"Well," He began after a moment of thought. "How about this, I will spend the morning with Seamus, the afternoon with Neville, and the evening with Hermione."  
All three nodded in agreement.  
"Great." Harry said, smiling.

For the rest of the journey, they talked about various things. Eventually, they reached the train station. Harry grabbed his belongings and waved as he saw his friends meet up with their respective families.  
"Come on," He whispered to his birds, Hedwig, and Crow-Friend.  
They all chirped and squawked in agreement. He chuckled and weaved his way through the crowd. He used the same illusionary spell he had used while leaving the school to leaving the station, before managing to blend in with the non-magical crowd.  
After an uncomfortable walk through the the city, he reached the closest body of water and gathered his strength. He summoned the mist and entered it, emerging in his forest only seconds later. He walked through the trees to his sleeping area, taking in deep lungfuls of air. He dropped his trunk, deciding to keep all of his school belonging in there for storage. Both Hedwig and Crow-Friend flew to separate branches. Harry extended his arms and stretched, taking in his surroundings. It was colder than last he had been. The trees had lost their leafs, the earth was covered in snow.  
And yet it was still as beautiful as when he had left.  
Without hesitation, he removed every article of clothing until he was completely naked. He laid down on the earth, face up, soaking in the energy of his surroundings.  
He examined the wards. They had weakened in his absence, but only slightly. He channelled his magic into the wards and they responded with a sensation which felt like a warm embrace.  
He sucked in a deep breath and sighed. He dug his fingers and toes into the cool snow and earth beneath. The cold white flacks had surrounded him like a icy embrace, he was most likely going to be very cold and wet soon.  
But he did not care.  
He felt his connection to the earth, greeting him as warmly as a summer day. The magic of the natural world embraced him like a mother welcoming her child home.  
This was his home. Not some large castle. Not some place in the middle of society.  
He thought of Hermione, Seamus and Neville. He even thought of McGonagall.  
No, not every member of society were bad. But he was not meant to live in what they called civilization. He was a child of the wild, a child of nature. He was born to live in freedom. Not in the false freedom that society lives in, believing they are free when really they are slaves to their own government, and their social norms, and their technology.  
No, his was the true freedom. Away from social expectation, from the opinionated and judgemental people who believe they were better because they had wealth based on a man-made idea of currency. Not knowing that true worthiness lay in their character, not in their pockets.  
No, civilization was not his home. It would never be, his home. This was his home. His forest, the earth, they were his home. This, was where he belonged.

He felt a wait on his chest as Crow-Friend landed, slightly digging her talons into his skin, but not enough to cause any serious injury.  
She sent him a slightly concerned, slightly irritated message.  
"Alright, alright, sorry." He said, sitting up as the crow flew off of him, landing on the ground beside him.  
He brushed himself off and walked over to one of his storage baskets, finding some casual clothes.  
"But can you blame me?" He asked while getting dressed. "I have just missed her so much."  
Crow-Friend squawked in amusement.  
Harry smiled and began preparing food for dinner. The hunting season was over, but he and Crow-Friend had put some extra food in storage under some magic which would keep it fresh during the long winter months. He expertly lit a fire and cooked the food, as if he had never left.  
Later, he curled up in his nest, his birds surrounding his head and Crow-Friend perched before his face, ready to tell him a story.  
Harry yawned and stretched. Though his bed at Hogwarts had been comfortable, there was just something about his nest which called to him.  
"It's been a while since you've told me one of your stories." He comments.  
It was true. While at Hogwarts, Crow-Friend's visits, while still as frequent as they had always been, were shorter. She no longer stayed long enough to tell Harry one of her stories. Harry had quite missed them.  
"What do I want to hear?" He muttered to himself. "Maybe a story about the light-haired man."  
Harry liked the light-haired man, because he was a person of the wild, just as he himself was. Though the warrior with uncontrollable rage was still one of his favourites. He did not know why, he just found him so intriguing.  
Crow-Friend squawked and began the tale of the night. Harry snuggled into his nest, sucking in a deep breath.  
He was home, and no one, especially not Dumbledore, was going to take it away from him.


	11. Christmas surprises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry has one very interesting Christmas.

Chapter 11:

Albus was honestly frustrated. At the beginning of term, he had thought that, despite the initial problems, he could steer Harry Potter onto the correct path. How hard could it be? He was a child, after all, and children were very impressionable.  
However, every attempt he made to influence the boy proved to be less than futile. He had very strong opinions, cared not for authority figures, and was very hard to control. He tried to reach out to the boy, but every time he was met with strong resistance.  
He had especially been alarmed to see the boy's reaction, or lack there of, to learning that his relatives had been savagely murdered. The child had not shed a single tear. Albus would have been very concerned if he had shown even the slightest hint of joy, but the Headmaster felt that the child's show of indifference was far worse.  
It reminded him far too much of a young Tom Riddle.  
Both preferred to isolate themselves, save for a few select individuals. Both seemed to prefer the company of animals above all else. And both gave him a disconcerting feeling.  
And was that not the reason why Voldemort had selected the Potter boy over the Longbottom child in the first place, because even then they had similarities, if only in blood status.  
But Potter and Riddle did have their differences. Riddle had enjoyed the company of snakes, while Potter was always accompanied by birds. And from what the other professors had told him, Potter did seem to care for his friends. But he could not be certain if this was real, or if this was only an act.  
He was at least thankful that his friends included a muggleborn. This hopefully showed that the boy held no hatred for people of certain blood status.  
However, Albus would still have to be careful. He could not risk another Tom Riddle, especially since he was still dealing with the first one.  
He needed to get the boy under his control.  
Normally, he would have asked Minerva and Severus to assist him, but they were both being troublesome.  
Ever since Halloween, Severus had been acting strangely. It was as if he had been traumatised by something, but Albus did not know what. He thought it may have something to do with Harry Potter, as Severus seemed to despise being in the same room as the boy, but Albus could not be certain.  
And then there was Minerva.  
Once one of his most loyal assets, she had suddenly turned on him over the past few months. Ever since Harry Potter stepped through the doors of Hogwarts, perhaps even earlier, she had determinedly defended the boy and stood in the way of Albus's attempts to influence him in the right direction.  
He knew that Minerva cared for children in general, especially the ones she was tasked with caring for. Not that long ago, he had seen this as a fortunate trait, as she would presumably be more willing to follow his lead, as long as he said it was for the students.  
However, he now felt the woman's feelings of sentimentality were quickly becoming a great hindrance. She had become blind to the bigger picture. Did she not see that he was working towards the greater good? And as unfortunate as it was, there had to be sacrifices. The needs of the many must outweigh the needs of the few. And if that meant people, even children, had to suffer, then so be it. He hated it, but it had to be done.  
All for the greater good.  
A memory briefly flicked through his mind. One of his sister, ariana.  
She had been so young, and yet had suffered so much. And in the end, she had died. She had died because of him.  
The familiar feeling of guilt swam in his stomach. Then, he reminded himself of why she had died.  
Her death had been an accident, but it had also been a sine. A sine that he was needed for more than taking care of the remains of his family. It was unfortunate, but everything was for the greater good. And if more had to suffer or even die so he could achieve the greater good, then so be it.  
Once he, through Potter, had defeated Voldemort and brought stability to the magical world, then no more would have to suffer. No more would suffer, as his sister had. And then all the suffering would be worth it.  
If only more people could see this.

In the early morning light, in a small muggle park, a mist suddenly appeared from a small pond. From this mist emerged a young boy, four birds hovering around his head. As he walked further from the pound, the mist evaporated.  
"Now where is he?" Harry muttered.  
Suddenly, he heard the soft muffled footsteps of someone walking through the snow. He looked up to see Seamus, smiling at him widely.  
"Hey, you made it." Seamus said, walking closer.  
"Of course I did." Harry replied. "I said I would, so here I am."  
Seamus smiled.  
"Thanks." He said. "I know you don't really celebrate Christmas, but I got you a present anyway."  
He held out a small package wrapped in colourful paper. Harry took it, and carefully unwrapped it.  
"It's recyclable." Seamus said sheepishly. "I thought you would appreciate it."  
Harry nodded.  
"I do, thank you." He said as he removed the last of the paper.  
Before he looked at the item he now held in his hand, he knelt down and placed the wrapping paper onto the ground. The paper slowly vanished underneath the snow and earth.  
"I just deconstructed it." He said. "To feed it to the earth and ensure no harmful particles were accidentally absorbed."  
"Wow." Seamus breathed.  
Harry shrugged.  
"It's complicated, but it's worth it." He said. He then turned his eyes to the item in his hands. He raised an eyebrow.  
"A notebook?" He asked.  
"Yeah, well," Seamus began hesitantly. "I wasn't sure what to get you, because you're not that... What's the word?"  
"Materialistic?" Harry suggested.  
"Yeah, that's right." Seamus replied, grinning. "So me Mam asked me what you like, and I told her you were a pretty good bard, so she suggested this."  
He gestured to the notebook.  
"I told her that you might not need it, as you have a pretty good memory, but she said something about artists needing something to write stuff down because they tended to have inspiration at the strangest of times, but then forget about it."  
Harry nodded.  
"Yeah, despite my memory, I have experienced times when I have had a spurt of inspiration, only to forget it."  
He nodded.  
"While Swan-Friend does insist upon upholding the oral tradition, I believe it would be a good idea to write some things down. Thanks for this."  
They both began to walk towards Seamus's home.  
"So, about your family," Harry began.  
Seamus sighed.  
"Yes, Uncle Riley is here."  
Harry nodded.  
"And did he try something?"  
Seamus snorted.  
"As you suspected, he tried to fill the house with iron as soon as he got a free moment."  
"And?"  
"And I spent half the night removing it all." Seamus replied. "Have it all in me trunk."  
"Do you believe he has noticed?"  
Seamus shook his head.  
"Not yet, and I'll put them all back as soon as you leave."  
Harry nodded.  
"Good."  
Both of them had been worried that Seamus's uncle would be attending the Finigan's family Christmas celebrations, and that, as soon as he heard that Seamus was bringing around a friend who so happened to be a boy, he would believe that this boy will the "Fae-Child". Harry did not wish to cause conflict within Seamus's family, so he and Seamus had come up with a plan which would hopefully convince Riley Finigan that Harry was not a creature of the fairies.  
Remembering how Harry had reacted to one piece of iron on the train, Seamus had meticulously searched his entire house for the metal and hid it. He would be putting it all back once Harry had left. Hopefully, if Riley saw Harry in the supposedly iron filled house, without the slightest reaction, the man would stop being so paranoid.  
"So, what are you going to do about... You know?" Seamus asked, gesturing towards the four birds around Harry's head.  
Harry waved his hand and they all flew off to a tree not too far away.  
"They will wait for me." He elaborated. "I should only be a few hours, right?"  
"Right." Seamus replied. "But he still might recognise you. He's seen you whenever you've preformed for his town."  
Harry shrugged.  
"That cannot be helped." He said. "Hopefully he will believe that it is merely a trick of the light."  
Seamus shrugged.  
"Alright, I trust you."  
As they were about to reach Seamus's house, Harry remembered something.  
"Wait, before we go inside."  
He dug around in his pocket until he finally pulled out something. It was a simple circle of wood, attached to a string long enough to go around the neck. There were carvings on the wood that Harry could not quite figure out.  
A mere few days earlier, he had been wondering what he should get his friends for Christmas. He had been discussing options with Crow-Friend, when she had suddenly flown off. He had at first been surprised at her abrupt departure, but he quickly shrugged it off.  
The next morning, he woke up with three almost identical talismans in his lap, Crow-Friend staring at him in satisfaction. She showed him images of his friends wearing the talismans, and of them being covered by glowing shields.  
"Here." He said, handing the talisman to Seamus. "Crow-Friend helped me make it. She said it should act as some form of protection."  
Seamus smiled.  
"Thanks. This looks brilliant."  
Harry smiled.  
"Where it underneath your clothes, so no one sees it."  
Seamus did so. As he slipped it on, the boy shuddered.  
"Seamus?" Harry asked.  
"I'm fine." Seamus replied. "I just felt... Something..."  
Harry smiled.  
"That's the magic." He said.  
Seamus's eyes widened.  
"Is it fae magic?"  
Harry hushed him.  
"I don't know, but don't let your uncle hear you. Remember, we're supposed to be convincing him I am not a fae-child."  
"Right." Seamus said, nodding.  
Both boy's then turned and walked inside the warm, festive home.

Brunch with the Finigans ended up being very awkward. Seamus's parents were fine, but Riley, now that was a real problem. He had continuously scrutinised Harry, as if searching for something, anything, out of the ordinary.  
It was a good thing Harry was such a good actor. This man was honestly getting on his nervous.  
And then there were the constant questions.  
"So, Harry," Riley began. "You met Seamus at school?"  
Harry nodded.  
"Yes."  
Riley pressed his lips together.  
"And it's a boarding school, right?"  
"Yes." Harry replied politely.  
"If you don't mind me asking, where do you stay when you're not at school?" The man asked. "I mean, you did arrive here alone. Surely your parents would like to spend some time with you after you've been away for months."  
Harry shrugged.  
"My parents are dead." He replied.  
Seamus's parents turned to him with sympathetic expressions, but Riley continued to stare at him suspiciously.  
"Then who do you live with?"  
Harry shrugged.  
"I used to live with relatives, but I had to runaway before they beat me to death."  
Mrs Finigan almost spilt her hot cup of tea.  
"Oh, you poor lad." She said. "I'm sorry..."  
"It's okay, Mrs Finigan." Harry said, smiling reassuringly. "It was years ago. I'm over it now."  
"So where do you live?" Riley asked was.  
"Here and there." Harry replied, attempting to remain calm.  
"By yourself?"  
Harry had to suck in a deep breath.  
"Yes, by myself." He said slowly. "If nothing, at least my relatives gave me the skills necessary to live independently. And will all due respect, I do not think my living conditions are any of your concern."  
Riley made to say something, but his brother stopped him.  
"Well, if you ever need anything, we are willing to help in any way." Mrs Finigan said.  
Harry smiled.  
"Thank you."  
Thankfully, the rest of the meal was relatively calm.  
As soon as Harry left the house and said his goodbyes, he let out a breath he had not known he'd been holding.  
"Well, that went well." He muttered. "One down, three to go."

He met Neville in a park in the middle of London. He coughed when he smelt the revoltingly polluted air, but quickly recovered.  
"Harry." Neville said, smiling. "Thanks for coming."  
Harry smiled.  
"Of course." He replied. "Here, I got you something, courtesy of Crow-Friend."  
He handed the talisman to Neville.  
"Err... Thanks." Neville said, smiling. "You really didn't..."  
"I wanted to." Harry replied. "Just because I don't celebrate Christmas, does not mean I will not respect your traditions."  
Neville nodded, still smiling. The boy put the talisman on, with the same reaction as Seamus.  
"Wow." He breathed.  
"Yeah, that's the magic." Harry said. "It's supposed to give you protection."  
"Thanks." Neville said.  
The shy boy shuffled nervously.  
"I errr... Got you something." He began. "I know you don't celebrate Christmas, but..."  
"It's okay." Harry replied. "Seamus got me something as well, and I wouldn't be surprised if Hermione is planning to give me a gift."  
Neville chuckled.  
"Well, here..."  
Neville handed him a strangely sharped package. He unwrapped it to reveal a truly beautiful instrument.  
"Neville, this is..." He breathed, stroking the ornately carved harp.  
"It's nothing." Neville said. "My family's got a lot of money, being an old pureblood family and all..."  
He shuffled nervously.  
"Normally, Gran wouldn't let me spend so much money at once, but I told her it was for you and she... Err... Agreed." He said. "I guess she's just happy that you've help me become even a little bit more confident."  
"Yes, well," Harry began. "I may have a few words for her."  
Neville shrugged and began to walk towards where his grandmother was presumably waiting.  
"I just thought you might like it," Neville continued. "Because well... You're a bard and I've heard music goes well with old-fashioned storytelling..."  
"Thanks, this is amazing." Harry replied.  
They quickly met with the stern looking woman who was Neville's grandmother. Harry was glad to see that she was not wearing her infamous stuffed vulture hat. He did not comment and she said nothing about it.  
"So, you are the famous Harry Potter Neville has told me so much about." Mrs Longbottom said.  
"It is nice to meet you Mrs Longbottom." Harry said.  
Mrs Longbottom nodded and turned.  
"Well, we best be off."  
As the two boy's followed the older woman, Harry quietly spoke with Neville.  
"Neville, where are we going?"  
"Well... Umm..." Neville began. He seemed more nervous than usual. "We're going to... Ummm... See my parents."  
Harry blinked. Neville had never mentioned his parents before. Harry had never asked, respecting his friends privacy. Now however, he was curious.  
"And where are they exactly?" Harry asked.  
"Well... It's complicated." Neville replied. "You'll see."

Half an hour later, Harry stood in a ward in the magical Hospital of St. Mungoes. He clasped Neville's lower arm as the boy stared at two people in a bed at the fare end of the ward. These two people did not acknowledge either of the boys, or Mrs Longbottom, who was beside the bed stroking the man's hand.  
"Are they..." Harry asked.  
Neville only nodded.  
"Do you mind if I ask..." He continued.  
Neville shook his head.  
"It's... It's okay." He breathed.  
Neville took a few seconds to mentally prepare himself.  
"It was just after the war with You-Know-Who." He began. "Some was... Big supporters of You-Know-Who, they... They thought that my parents knew some information... About how You-Know-Who died and how they could bring him back..."  
He clenched his fists.  
"They used one of the three unforgivable curses... The cruciartis... to torture them into insanity..."  
Harry held Neville's hand tightly.  
"Thanks." Neville breathed. "I just... Wanted you to come here... It's always hard but... I thought maybe, if I had a friend here... It could be easier to... You know..."  
"And is it?" Harry asked gently.  
"A little." Neville replied. "Did you... Want to meet them?"  
"If it's okay with you and your grandmother."  
Neville nodded.  
"Yeah, it's okay."  
They both carefully approached the bed with the Longbottoms.  
"Hey Mum, Dad." Neville said in a quiet voice. "I've brought a friend with me, from Hogwarts. This is Harry."  
Harry stepped forward. Suddenly, Neville's mother grabbed his hand in a surprisingly tight grip. The woman stared into his eyes and he could have sworn there was some recognition in those orbs. However, her eyes quickly became unfocused, and her grip slackened.  
Neville's grandmother sighed, unusually gentle.  
"It's sad, isn't it?"  
Harry nodded.  
"To be killed is one thing, but to lose your mind."  
Mrs Longbottom shook her head.  
"The healers say there is little hope of recovery. Sometimes I think it'll be better to put them out of their misery, but..."  
Harry nodded.  
"I understand." He said.  
They fell silent.  
"I am going to go find some lunch." Mrs Longbottom said. "You can come if you want..."  
Neville shook his head.  
"That's okay. I... I want to stay for a bit longer. Maybe just a minute or two."  
Mrs Longbottom nodded.  
"Fine. Come down when you're ready."  
The old woman left, and Neville and Harry were alone with the Longbottoms. Neville turned to Harry hesitantly.  
"I know that this is a lot to ask... Don't think I only asked you to come here because I want something... You know, besides moral support, but..."  
"I'll do it." Harry said instantly.  
"Huh?"  
"Neville, I can see how much this affects you." Harry began. "And if there was anything I could do to help you, I would do it. You are my friend."  
"Thank you." Neville said, tears in his eyes.  
"But remember," Harry continued. "I make no promises of success. My powers are still limited at the moment."  
Neville nodded.  
"I get it." He said. "I'm just grateful that you would even consider helping..."  
"Think nothing of it." He replied.  
He stepped closer towards the head of Neville's mother. She stared at him vaguely as he placed a hand on her forehead. With a slight nudge of his magic, he put the woman to sleep. It would be easier to explore her mind if she was unconscious.  
He gently eased into her mind.  
It was an honest mess. Scars were littered everywhere, thoughts and memories were jumbled together and severely damaged. Shadows flickered about, giving the mindscape a horrible, haunted feeling.  
Then, there was a flash. Something that was clearer than the rest of the shambled thoughts.  
For one second, he thought he saw the figure of a young man. He was brighter than the rest of the surroundings, but Harry could not see his face.  
"Oh no, this is not your duty lad." He heard a strangely musical voice say.  
Suddenly, he felt himself being frown out of Mrs Longbottom's mind and back into his own body.  
"Harry, are you alright?" Neville asked, concerned.  
"I'm fine." Harry replied.  
"What happened?" His friend asked.  
Harry shook his head.  
"I don't know." He replied. "I was looking through her mind, when..."  
"What?" Neville asked.  
Harry tried to remember, but he could not seem to get a grasp of what he was trying to think of.  
"I don't know." He replied. "All I can remember is... A feeling..."  
"What?" Neville asked.  
"That... That they don't need my help." He said. "That... That they are already getting all the help they need."  
"Do you think it's a security mechanism from the healers?"  
Harry shook his head.  
"I don't think so."  
Neville sighed.  
"Well, thanks for trying anyway." He said.  
Harry put a hand on his shoulder.  
"Hey, it's alright." He said. "I will find a way to help them, this feeling be dammed."  
Neville smiled.  
"Thanks." He said quietly. "It's... It's really good to have a friend."

The second that Harry emerged from the mist, he felt a large force hit him, almost knocking him over. He smelt the familiar sent of Hermione's hair, and felt her tight embrace.  
"Nice to see you to." He said, amusement in his tone.  
Hermione straightened, her face slightly pink, but smiling.  
"Sorry." She said. "I'm just so excited."  
Harry chuckled. His birds, as if on command, flew to Hermione and began to pepper her with their avian kisses. The young witch giggled.  
"As always, your birds are adorable."  
"And seeing as they are part of me, does that mean that I am also adorable?" Harry asked, grinning.  
Hermione shoved him playfully.  
"Oh, hush you." She said.  
They both laughed.  
"I umm... Got you something." She began hesitantly. "I know that you..."  
"X'i okay." Harry replied. "Seamus and Neville have already given me gifts, and I gave them something in return. Speaking of which..."  
He pulled out the final talisman.  
"Here. It's from both me and Crow-Friend."  
Hermione took it and placed it around her neck. She shuddered, and then her eyes widened.  
"This is..." She began.  
"Yeah." He said. "It's supposed to give you some form of protection."  
"Oh, Harry, thank you." She breathed.  
"No problem." He replied. "I would have given you flowers, only I'm still waiting for you to be ready for the more romantic side."  
She rolled her eyes, but smiled amusedly.  
"Come on, your present is back at my house." She said. "My parents are really excited to meet you."  
They both turned and walked out of the small park to Hermione's home.

Hermione was correct in saying her parents were excited to meet him. In fact, Harry would say they were more than excited.  
As soon as they stepped in the door, a woman with the exact same bushy brown hair bustled into the hall and greeted him enthusiastically.  
"Oh, you must be Harry." She said. "Hermione has told us so much about you. Please, come in, take a seat. Dinner isn't quite ready yet, but I could back you some tea and biscuits."  
"That would be fine, Mrs Granger." Harry said politely. "I usually don't eat much, and I am still full from lunch. But thank you for offering. Maybe I will try to squeeze something in."  
"Oh, aren't you just so charming." Mrs granger gushed. "And so handsome. I can see you will have a lot of girls running after you."  
Harry chuckled.  
"Don't worry, I only have my eye on one."  
Hermione slapped him in her mother was looking.  
"Don't say stuff like that." She hissed.  
Harry shrugged.  
"Right, sorry."  
Hermione rolled her eyes.  
"I'm going to take you into the living room. Wait there for me to get your present. And please, behind yourself."  
"Don't I always?" Harry asked mischievously as Hermione led him into the living room.  
"Just sit and wait." Hermione said before turning.  
"Yes ma'am." Harry said as she walked through the doorway.  
While he waited, a man he presumed to be Mr Granger walked in.  
"So, this is the famous Harry Potter I have heard so much about." He said.  
"It is nice to meet you Mr Granger." He said.  
Mr Granger sat in the armchair facing the couch that Harry was currently occupying.  
"Hermione told us that you faced a troll." He began. "Judging from what I've heard, they're a bit hard to handle."  
Harry shrugged.  
"Hermione and our friends helped." He said.  
Mr Granger hummed.  
"She says that you used a sword out of a suit of armour." He continued. "Do you have much experience with swords?"  
Harry shrugged.  
"I used to train with a wooden stick." He replied.  
"So you like swordplay?"  
"It has it's uses." Harry replied.  
Mr Granger chuckled.  
"By the sounds of it, you are a little warrior." He said. "But Hermione also tells us that you call yourself a bard."  
Harry nodded.  
"Yes, I am a bard. I enjoy singing and poetry, and I am about to learn how to use the harp."  
"Such a strange skill set." Mr Granger mused. "Something so creative, and something so destructive."  
Harry shrugged.  
"Does a rose not have thorns?"  
Mr Granger laughed.  
"Yes, I can see why Hermione likes you so much."  
Harry smiled.  
At that moment, Hermione returned from not one, but two packages.  
"This one," Hermione began, handing him the larger, longer package. "Is from me, and well, my parents. Mostly my dad though. He helped me make it."  
Harry unwrapped the package as Mrs Granger entered the room. He lifted the lid off of the box to see what looked like a wooden construction. He examined it carefully.  
"Is this...?" He began.  
"A wooden training sword." Hermione replied. "Dad helped. He's pretty good at wood carving."  
Mr Granger nodded.  
"I used to do wood carving, always thought it would be my profession. But then I was drawn by the glamorous life of dentistry."  
Harry lifted the wooden sword out of the box. From what he could remember of Crow-Friend's stories, this resembled more of a broadsword. He held it in his hand to test the wait.  
"This is some amazing work." He said.  
"Thanks." Mr Granger replied. "Figured it may come in handy, just in case another troll somehow managed to break into the school."  
"Honestly." Mrs Granger huffed. "We thought that school was supposed to be safe."  
Harry shrugged.  
"These things happen." He began. "But don't worry."  
"No, we don't have to." Mrs Granger said playfully. "Because Hermione has a knight in shining armour."  
Hermione blushed crimson, and Harry chuckled.  
"Give her the proper training, and Hermione will be able to take care of herself." He replied. "And anyway, I'm not a knight in shining armour. I'm a bard in flowing robes, even if I don't like wearing such impractical garments."  
All four of them laughed.  
"So," Harry said. "What about this second gift."  
"Oh, right." Hermione said. "It just appeared on the end of my bed this morning, addressed to you. I didn't open it, or the note which came with it. It says it's for you, after all."  
Harry took the package and the note. He first scanned the package for any enchantments. Satisfied that it was safe, he slowly opened the package.  
It was a very large book with no title. He opened it carefully. On the first page was a table of contents.  
"Miscellaneous tales of mythology and folklore." He read out slowly.  
Mr Granger snorted.  
"Are we sure Hermione did not sneak a second present?" He said jokingly. "She was always in to those old fairytales. Still is."  
Harry shook his head. As he scanned the table of contents, he realised the four main sections were not of equal length. The first two sections with the titles "The Mythological Cycle", and "The Ulster Cycle", were far larger than the last two sections, "The Fenian Cycle", and "Various creatures of folklore". He closed the book.  
"I will read this later." He said.  
He opened the note, to see there were only a few words.  
"Remember, nothing is as it seems".  
Harry frowned. This was confusing. Perhaps he should discuss this with Crow-Friend.

Dinner was pleasant enough. The food was excellent, in Harry's opinion, and he told Mrs Granger so.  
Conversation was easier than he had expected. The grangers were nice people, and they seemed to be excited that their daughter had finally brought home a friend. He had found it especially amusing when the two dentists marvelled at how healthy his teeth were, considering that he never brushed them, and the Dursleys had never taken him to a dentist before.  
He left the house with a smile on his face, satisfied that he had made a good impression on Hermione's parents.

A few days later, Harry was lying in his nest, flipping through the mysterious book. He had found the tales he had red so far quite interesting. Something in the back of his mind sang to these stories, as if he had some kind of connection to them.  
Perhaps it was because many of the stories reminded him of tales told to him by Crow-Friend.  
Speaking of whom, it would appear that she had just arrived. Harry put down the book, still open to the page he had been reading, and looked up at her.  
"Oh, good morning." He said.  
Crow-Friend squawked in greeting.  
"I wanted to show you something." He continued, lifting the book. "Someone gave me this for Christmas... Don't worry, I've already checked it and it's safe... But I have been reading through it and well, it feels kind of familiar."  
Crow-Friend flew closer to him and looked at the book over his shoulder.  
"A lot of these remind me of stories you've told me." He continued. "Like errr... Do you remember the warrior with uncontrollable rage? Well, there is someone in here who reminds me a lot of him. Cú Chulainn..."  
As soon as the name left his lips, he felt a strong wave of anger erupt from Crow-Friend. He looked at her to see the crow's eyes burnt with a raging fire. He backed away slowly. For the first time, he was genuinely afraid of Crow-Friend.  
"Sorry." He began. "Just please, calm down."  
After a few terrifying seconds, the fire in Crow-Friend's eyes died down, and the entire clearing calmed.  
"Thank you." Harry said, grabbing the book. "I hope you don't mind if I keep this. It's just... There are a lot of interesting stories here."  
The crow squawked, but did not argue.  
"Thanks." Harry said.  
He looked down at the book. Who could have possibly given this to him? And why?  
"Nothing is what it seems"  
What did that mean? Harry did not know. But what he did know was that he would find out who had given him this book.


	12. Meet in the realm of dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Both Minerva and Harry have some very interesting dreams.

Chapter 12:

When it came time for Harry to return to Hogwarts, he found it not as painful as he had expected. He did love the forest, he truly did. He loved the sense of freedom the natural world gave him.  
However, he had also come to enjoy his time at Hogwarts. He found most of the lessons interesting, the air was not as polluted as the non-magical society, and, most of all, he liked his friends.  
Seamus, Neville and especially Hermione were not like other humans. They were not afraid of him, and nor did they hold him up on what he thought of as an undeserving pedestal. They liked him for him, and he liked them for this.  
They were not self-absorbed, only concentrating on what they wanted. They respected and even loved the natural world, not as much as he did, but still far more than other humans.  
And then there were others. McGonagall, he felt, was quickly becoming a good confidant he could somewhat rely on. He at least respected her more than any other adult. He could tell she actually cared about others, especially the students. That at least was something.  
Hagrid was a kindred spirit. They both loved nature and all her creatures, no matter what anyone said about them. He was a good man, even if he seemed a little too loyal to Dumbledore for his taste.  
In all, he was not to upset at the prospect of having to return to Hogwarts.

He now sat in a compartment on the Hogwarts express, waiting for his friends. He had pulled out the harp that Neville had given him for Christmas, and was plucking at the strings.  
The morning after Christmas, he had been inspecting the harp, wondering how exactly he was going to learn to play. He had thought of asking Swan-Friend, but he would not be visiting for another ten months, and Harry wished to begin learning immediately.  
He had always loved music, and had often thought of taking an instrument. The only problem was that he could never gather enough money from the townspeople to afford the trade, and he refused to outright steal anything, or even pay less than the assigned amount.  
So the only instrument he had had until now had been his voice. But now, he had an actual physical instrument, and he could barely hold back his excitement.  
He had always had a talent for music. Whenever he had heard a song he had liked on the radio at the Dursleys, he could immediately hum the tune under his breath and sing the lyrics perfectly, after only hearing it once. He did not know how or why, but he supposed it had something to do with his magic.  
In any case, he was faced with a problem. He knew that all he would have to do is hear what each string was supposed to sound like, just to get the gist of it, and he would be fine. However, he had no idea where he could find such examples of music. He could not look some up on a library computer, as he had no idea how to use one. He could take some CDs, but he had no COULD player, nor did he know how to use such a device.  
He was frowning in thought, thinking that he would just have to find his own way around the harp, when he suddenly heard a whisper on the wind. He sat up and listened carefully. It sounded like... Chiming... No, strings being plucked... Delicate, music.  
He lifted the harp into his lap and gently plucked at his own strings. After only a few tries, he was making similar sounds to the ones he was hearing on the wind.  
Smiling, he continued to repeat the sounds, first single notes. Then, as the day went on, he slowly began to play short bars of music.  
Now, on the train, he was playing some simple songs. Despite him only learning for just over a week, he was already becoming quite confident with the instrument, and skilled in plucking the strings. He was even beginning to compose his own songs, though they were a work in progress.  
He glanced up to his trunk, where he had stored the notebook Seamus had given him. While he did have an excellent memory when it came to poems and songs, the biggest problem he faced was trying to organise his thoughts. He didn't just come up with them on the spot. No, his versus were constructed over hours of long thought, born from a mere second of inspiration most times. The ideas may have been his own, but he still had to work at turning them into actual works of art. Already he had filled the notebook with pages upon pages of verse, lyric and composition.  
He was just going through one of the more complicated songs he had heard from the wind just that morning, when the compartment door opened.  
"Hey." Said Seamus as he, Neville, and Hermione entered the compartment.  
"Hey." Harry replied as he placed the harp down to help his friends with their trunks.  
"Sorry, were we interrupting something?" Hermione asked.  
Harry smiled and shook his head.  
"No, I was just practicing with this harp Neville gave me for Christmas." He said, sitting down again and placing the instrument back into his lap.  
"Really?" Neville asked. "You've learnt something already... Wait, don't answer that, of course you did."  
Harry smiled.  
"It is quite enjoyable. I have to thank you again." He said. "I think even Crow-Friend likes it." He added, chuckling.  
The other three joined his laughter.  
"So, could you errr... You know, show us something?" Hermione asked.  
Harry smiled.  
"Of course." He replied before beginning.  
The tune he played was a lively song, and it wasn't long before his three friends were smiling, tapping their feet and laughing happily. Harry also smiled.  
"That was amazing." Seamus said.  
"How did you get so good in such a small amount of time?" Hermione added.  
Harry shot her a wink.  
"I am a bard, music is only one of my many talents." He said.  
Hermione punched him gently, and they all laughed. No, Harry would not be too upset with returning to Hogwarts.

As soon as Harry returned to his dormitory, he saw something on his bed. It was what appeared to be a silvery pile of cloth, neatly folded on the covers with a note placed on top. He looked around the room to see there was no one around, save for Crow-Friend, who was perched on his bedside table.  
"What do you think?" He asked.  
Crow-Friend squawked, sending him a mental message.  
"Right." He replied as he investigated the magic around the item.  
There were several layers of spells and enchantments, all woven together intricately. Something about the spell work unsettled him.  
He frowned and sat on the floor, crossing his legs. It was obviously going to take a while to undo the spells.  
After a while, he was able to unravel the layers of spells and enchantments. Now, he could sense an even stronger, older magic pulsing from the item. This gave him a sense of protection and security.  
He stood and picked up the cloth, unfolding it to reveal a shimmering cloak. He stared at it for a long time, then turned to Crow-Friend.  
"What do you think this is?" He asked.  
Crow-Friend only squawked, staring at the cloak. For a second, he thought he saw a glimmer of recognition in her eyes. But it vanished just as quickly and she sent him an image of him putting the cloak on.  
He complied to the crow's request. When he had put the cloak on, he peered down to see how it looked on him, only to find that he was invisible.  
"An invisibility cloak." He said, grinning. "Now this will be useful."  
While he could use his magic to camouflage himself, it was also very draining for as long as he kept the spell up. But with this cloak, we will be able to sneak around without being seen, while not using up much of his energy.  
He removed the cloak, folded it, and placed it into his pocket. He then turned to the note, which had fallen to the floor. He licked it up, unfolded it, and red it.

Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was returned to you.  
Use it well.  
A Very Merry Christmas to you.

He frowned. This cloak had once belonged to his father? But what of those enchantments he had undone? They had not felt like a natural part of the cloak, nor had they looked that old. They appeared to be fresh, to fresh to have been made by his father.  
He clenched his fists as he came to a realisation. Whomever had had possession of the cloak had tampered with it, placed enchantments on it which no doubt had been intended to do harm to him.  
How dare this mystery person violate something that once belonged to his parents? He would track this person down and show them what happens when you cross him.  
He looked to his Crow-Friend, who sent him a mental message. He sucked in a deep breath.  
"Right, okay." He said. "I shall be patient. Thank you."

About a week after the new term began, he, Seamus, Neville, Hermione and Unicorn-Friend were all sitting near the edge of the forbidden forest. Neville was leaning against a tree, Seamus was tending to a small fire, and he and Hermione were leaning against the side of the unicorn who lay on the ground behind them. His birds were flicking between the four humans lazily, while Harry experimented with the strings of his harp.  
"Hey, why don't you play us a song?" Seamus asked from the fire.  
The other two voiced their agreement, and Harry began playing happily.  
After a few minutes of his sweet music, they all heard thundering footsteps. They all looked up, Harry temporarily stopping his playing, to see the giant form of Hagrid.  
"Hey, don' stop cause I'm here." The giant of a man said.  
"Hi Hagrid." Harry said. "How are you?"  
"I'm good." Hagrid replied. "I jus heard yeh playin and thought I should come an' have a listen."  
Harry smiled.  
"Well, you're welcome to have a seat."  
However, Hagrid remained standing.  
"I didn' know you could play so good." He said. "I knew yeh could sing. I've heard yeh enough times. But this..." He stopped. "Wait, if yeh don' mind, I'd like to get something."  
Just as Harry nodded, the giant turned and ran in the direction of his cabin. He returned a few minutes later with a carved wooden flute.  
Without a word, the two musicians began to play their respective instruments. It was not long before they were harmonising together. Seamus, Hermione and Neville became so entranced with the music that they all stood up, clasped each other's hands, and began dancing in a circle of merriment, Harry's birds flying around them excitedly. Even the unicorn tapped her hooves from where she still lay.  
Song after song they played, easily transitioning between tunes. Even if there were only two instruments, it was as if they had their own small festival.  
Finally, after hours of music playing, they noticed in was getting dark.  
"Blimey." Hagrid said in surprise, lowering the flute from his lips. "Is tha' the time already?"  
The four friends looked to the sky to see that the sun was just about to vanish beyond the horizon.  
"Guess we should go to dinner." Neville said, still smiling.  
"Yeah, but that was seriously fun." Seamus said. "The two of you were great together."  
Both Harry and Hagrid smiled.  
"It was nothing." Harry said. "We were just... Enjoying the music."  
"Still, you two could make a band or something." Seamus added.  
The two musicians glanced at each other and shrugged.  
"We would need more players." Hagrid began.  
"I thought you sounded good with just the two of you." Hermione retorted. "But you are right, it could sound amazing with more instruments."  
Harry shrugged.  
"Just a thought." He said. "For now, I think we should go to dinner. Thanks for the music Hagrid."  
"Hey, no problem." The giant replied.  
He then glanced over to where Harry was saying his goodbyes to Unicorn-Friend.  
"Though, I might' need yeh help some time, if yeh don' mind." He muttered so only Harry could hear. "Normally, I wdn' ask anyone else, but well... Yeh not like other people."  
Harry nodded.  
"I will discuss this with you later." He said under his breath.  
Hagrid nodded.  
"Maybe in a few weeks," The giant continued. "I don' think I'll be needin yeh help now, but... If things keep goin the way they are, I may need yeh help sooner than I like."  
Harry nodded again.  
"Call me when you are ready."  
Hagrid nodded and smiled.  
"Thanks, now run along."  
Harry smiled and turned to where his friends were waiting. Together, they walked back up to the castle.

Minerva stumbled into her office, attempting to remain awake.  
The past few weeks had been stressful. Albus had resumed his constant pestering, increasing his questions concerning Harry Potter from once a month to once a week. Thankfully, she had managed to prevent the Headmaster from summoning the boy into his office.  
Over the Holidays, Severus had not improved at all. He still jumped at every shadow and every noise, and refused to be in the same room as Potter unless he absolutely had to.  
Minerva herself had been very careful around Potter. Ever since the fiasco at the end of the last term, she had cleared out all of the iron from her office, and had even stopped wearing the iron around her neck. While it did make her feel uneasy, she knew that it was best. After all, if she was supposed to be protecting Harry Potter, it would not be wise to be surrounded by a metal which could be potentially fatal to him.  
She sat in her chair heavily. While the past few weeks had been stressful, she still did not know why she felt so drowsy.  
She was just pondering if the Weasley twins had decided to pull another one of their pranks by slipping her a sleeping draft, when she felt herself going forward and her head landing on the cool wood of her desk.

The next thing Minerva knew, she was sitting in what appeared to be her office, only it seemed less... Stable, less real. As if the world around her was somehow more fluid.  
She looked around and quickly found that she was not alone. Sitting on the opposite end of the desk was a man, quite youthful in appearance. He lent back casually in the chair, with his hands behind his head and, much to her annoyance, his feet kicked up onto the desk.  
"Excuse me young man," She began. "But I would rather you not sit so inappropriately."  
The man only laughed, his laughter musical and completely relaxed.  
"Oh, Minerva McGonagall," He began. "Surely you know that, despite my appearance, I am far older than you."  
Minerva frowned. It was then that she noticed the four birds hovering around his head.  
"The Morrigan's associate, I presume." She said.  
The man's smile widened.  
"There's that intelligence." He said.  
Minerva frowned.  
"Regardless, I would still prefer that you remove your feet from my desk."  
The man frowned for a second, but complied.  
"Fine." He muttered.  
"Now," Minerva continued. "I have a few questions."  
"I bet you do." The man replied.  
Minerva frowned, but continued.  
"Firstly, who are you?"  
The man laughed again.  
"You do not honestly think I will just give you me name?" He asked. "Names have power, after all. It's all well and good for Morrigan to toss around her name, after all, no one is stupid enough to try anything with her. But with me... I am not taking that risk. You could very well put a geas on me, or worse."  
Minerva pursed her lips, but decided to drop the subject for now.  
"Where are we?" She asked instead.  
The man's smirk widened.  
"We," He began, spread his arms dramatically. "Are in your dreams. It's a talent of mine, going into people's minds, entering their thoughts and dreams. Though, it was very difficult, putting you to sleep before you could go into your bedroom, considering you've warded the place with iron and all. Even if I wasn't attempting it all the way from the Otherworld, you are one stubborn little mortal."  
Minerva frowned.  
"I was under the impression your people, excluding the Morrigan, could not leave the Otherworld outside of Samhain."  
The man grinned.  
"Ah, yes, Samhain may be when the veil is thinnest between the Otherworld and the mortal plane, but you are forgetting that this is only one of four of our sacred days." He said. "It is currently Imbolc."  
Minerva's frown deepened.  
"Isn't Imbolc dedicated to Brigit? While I may not know who you are, I highly doubt you are her."  
The man chuckled.  
"No, I am most certainly not Brigit." He replied. "And while she does get the most power out of this particular day, all of the Tuatha Dé Danann receive a greater amount of power, just enough for me to properly visit you in your dreams."  
"But why?" Minerva asked.  
He shrugged.  
"I wanted to meet you, see if you're all that Morrigan says you are." He replied.  
He then lent forward.  
"Thought I should also warn you, Morrigan's not too happy with you." He said the last few words in a sing song voice.  
Minerva scowled.  
"I do not see why." She began. "I am doing as she said, ensuring that Harry Potter is safe..."  
"Yes, well," The man continued. "She was not too impressed with the little gift you gave Harry for that mortal holiday... What's the name...?"  
"I do not know what you are referring to." Minerva retorted.  
The man somehow managed to snort as elegantly as he laughed.  
"Oh, please, it is obvious it was you who sent him that book." He said. "You are one of only two people who are aware of mine and Morrigan's existence, and the only one with the nerve to actually do something that could portentially lead Harry to discover the truth. After all, you and I both know he is an intelligent one."  
Minerva huffed.  
"I was merely doing my duty of protecting him." She retorted. "Excuse me if I find you fae as big a threat as Albus Dumbledore."  
The man rolled his eyes.  
"But still," He said. "Was it truly necessary to fill a large portion of the book with tales concerning Cú Chulainn?"  
"Why, is she still upset that he spurned her advances?" Minerva asked.  
The man scoffed.  
"It is still a point of very awkward tension between her and Lugh." He admitted. "But back to what you said before, I can assure you, we are not as bad as Dumbledore."  
Minerva scoffed.  
"Oh, really?" She asked. "The way I see it, you and Morrigan wish to use Harry Potter, a mere child, for your own mysterious schemes, just as Albus does."  
The man waved his hand dismissively.  
"Dumbledore is a fool who still chases after childish dreams." He said. "We, on the other hand, are trying to save this world."  
"Oh, and how will you do that?" Minerva asked. "By using a child to somehow release the fae back into the world, so you can wipe out the human race?"  
The man shook his head.  
"While I am not privy to the full extent of Morrigan's plans, I do know it does not involve mass genocide. If we wipe out an entire race, even one as destructive as you mortals, then the earth will be imbalanced... Well, more than it already is."  
"Oh, and you just do everything The Morrigan tells you to do?" Minerva asked scathingly.  
"Of course I do." The man replied, scowling. "I know better than to defy Morrigan. I actually like all of my body parts where they are, thank you very much."  
He narrowed his eyes at her.  
"But make no mistake, I am no one's little bitch."  
"Mind your language." Minerva said out of habit. Even if she knew the man before her was several millennia older than her, his physical appearance could make him pass for one of her students, especially since they were currently sitting in a dreamscape that so closely resembled her office.  
The man only rolled his eyes.  
"Honestly." He muttered.  
Minerva cleared her throat.  
"I know why Harry Potter is so important." She began. "Why you and The Morrigan are using him in your schemes."  
"Oh, do you now?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.  
"Yes." Minerva replied. "And I will make this clear, I will protect all children, human or changeling."  
The man's other eyebrow rose, and Minerva could have sworn there was a flicker of surprise in his eyes.  
"So, you have found the first piece of the puzzle already." He said.  
Minerva nodded.  
"It was a bit obvious when the poor child almost fainted when I still had my office warded with iron."  
The man nodded.  
"Yes, Morrigan did tell me of this incident. She wasn't too happy with you after that either."  
Minerva pursed her lips.  
"Yes, well," She continued. "This only raises a few more questions."  
"Such as?" The man asked.  
"Firstly, what of the Potter's real child." She began.  
The man sighed and shook his head.  
"Stillborn." He replied simply. "Truly tragic, when a young life is snuffed out before it can even begin."  
Minerva scowled.  
"You obviously do not care much for children, considering that Morrigan is using her own offspring as a weapon."  
The man frowned, and Minerva saw a flash of anger in his eyes.  
"First of all," He began. "We do care about our children. You mortals may breed like rabbits, but since we were banished to the Otherworld and you mortals began fecking up the earth, our fertility rate has dropped significantly. Therefore, all children to us are valued, almost as much as the treasures of Ireland themselves. Second of all, you are making some very large leaps, aren't you?"  
Minerva rolled her eyes.  
"I have been observing Harry for months." She said. "And I have seen a striking resemblance between him and Morrigan, especially in his behaviour. And I highly doubt this is merely from her having a large amount of influence over his personality."  
The man shrugged.  
"Yes, well," He began. "I have been trying to balance him out by teaching him some more artistic skills. After all, someone has to teach him to be compassionate. Morrigan isn't exactly the compassionate type."  
Minerva pursed her lips and nodded.  
"And I have also come to the conclusion that you are the father." She continued. "After all, why else would you be so heavily involve? And why would you so strongly resemble the child?"  
The man shrugged.  
"I am not going to say too much, as I do not know how much I am allowed to let slip."  
Minerva nodded, deciding that this was the closest thing she would get to confirmation.  
"Which then temporarily led me to the theory that you were The Dagda, as he and the Morrigan were known to be lovers..."  
Minerva was cut off as the man doubled over in laughter.  
"You... You thought that... That I was..."  
He wiped away a tear of laughter from his eye, which was now full of amusement.  
"I assure you, I am most certainly not The Dagda."  
Minerva nodded.  
"Yes, I decided that theory was wrong." She said. "Because I can still see and remember stories about him, while you seem to have successfully prevented both myself and Severus from discovering who you are, even after we both wore iron."  
The man smirked.  
"I put that mental block on both of you, long before either of you decided to ware iron around you neck." He explained. "Once a spell as powerful as the ones I placed on you are cast, not even iron can eradicate them."  
Minerva frowned.  
"You seem to be going to a lot of trouble." She muttered.  
The man shrugged.  
"What can I say? I am being careful."  
Minerva nodded.  
"I must ask, if Harry Potter is so important, why are there only two of you protecting him?"  
The man chuckled.  
"That's the thing, there isn't." He began. "Yes, Morrigan and I are the main ones at work, but the rest of our people have been watching him since he was a wee little thing. Half of us had to be held back every Samhain that child was stuck with those bastards the Dursleys."  
He chuckled.  
"Even Brigit wanted to rip them to shreds, and she's usually so gentle."  
"But you and Morrigan have been the only ones actually taking actions to protect Harry?" Minerva asked.  
"Not exactly." The man argued. "Dagda has done his part in protecting Harry's grove."  
Minerva frowned.  
"I thought that the wards Morrigan had put around Harry's forest were perfectly fine."  
The man chuckled.  
"You believe that Harry's forest is his grove?" He asked.  
"Of course." Minerva replied. "What else would it be?"  
The man sighed, almost disappointedly.  
"Well, we have already established that Harry is in fact a changeling." He began.  
Minerva nodded.  
"Well, your ancestors used to worship us as gods." He continued. "And what is a god, without some form of priesthood?"  
Minerva frowned. Then, her eyes widened in realisation.  
"Druids." She breathed.  
The man nodded, a satisfied smirk on his face.  
"Yes." He said. "Though, the grove is not complete, just yet. We are still waiting for one more. But when it is complete, then they and Harry will truly be powerful."  
The man then stood.  
"I believe that is all the time we have." He said. "Time is going on, and I still have more dreams to go through."  
He eyed Minerva, a casual smile on his face.  
"Honestly," He began. "I actually believe it was a good decision, giving him that book. He needs to properly learn our history, after all. Mine and the Morrigan's images can only do so much. And hey, there are worse heroes than Cú Chulainn that you could have focused on."  
"Such as?" Minerva asked.  
The man's expression turned dark, and his fists clenched. Even the dreamscape became slightly darker.  
"That bastard Fionn Mac Comhaill." He spat.  
Minerva raised an eyebrow. This fae clearly had some history with the legendary Fionn Mac Comhaill.  
He clearly saw her expression, because he was suddenly very close to her, a finger waving in her face.  
"Now, don't you be getting any ideas." He began. "You have enough to worry about, considering Morrigan is not too impressed at the moment."  
He stepped back.  
"We will be speaking again, Minerva McGonagall. And remember, the Tuatha Dé Danann are watching."  
Before Minerva could respond, both the man, and the scene, faded, and she found that she was in her real office, her head on her cold desk and her back full of cramps.  
She sat up and rubbed the back of her neck.  
"Well, this is just bloody wonderful." She muttered under her breath.  
She had known there would be risks, sending Potter that book. She had worked for over a month, collecting tales which she thought could be useful for the boy to know. She had especially focused on tales concerning the Morrigan, as she wished for Potter to be aware of how dangerous she could be.  
She knew that it would not take long for The Morrigan to discover that it was her who had sent the book. She also knew that the Battle Crow would most definitely be angered at her actions, especially if it included the Ulster hero Cú Chulainn, as immortal beings tended to hold a grudge for a very long time.  
However, she knew that the risks would be worth it, if Harry Potter was at least informed of what the fae were capable of. He was an intelligent boy. Minerva knew that it would only be a matter of time before he put all of the pieces together.  
And, hopefully then, he would be more weary of the crow on his shoulder.

Harry did not know where he was. He looked around him to see only a dark corridor.  
Last he was aware, he was in his bed. Now, he was in some mysterious corridor.  
He looked around, eventually see some light coming from the end of the corridor. He followed it, only to realise that the light did not come from an exit, but a person. He thought they looked like a man, but he could not be certain, as the light was doing little to help him see any features.  
The figure extended a hand to him.  
"Come along. I have something to show you."  
The voice was clearly masculine, and somewhat familiar, though he could not remember where he had heard it before.  
Regardless, he took the man's hand, sensing he could trust him.  
Suddenly, the corridor came into clear focus. He recognised it. It was the third-floor corridor, where he and his friends had discovered the three-headed dog.  
The man led him to the sleeping creature, who did not seem to have noticed them. They both slipped through the floor as if it were water, and down a large pit. They passed through a mysterious plant that he could have sworn he had seen in the greenhouses, into another corridor.  
They floated through a door, into a chamber with strange birds, through another door into a room with what appeared to be a lifesized chess board, complete with lifesized pieces.  
He thought he heard the man chuckling, before they floated to the other side of the room. Through another door, into a chamber where a troll, even larger than the one he and his friends had fought on Halloween, slept. Through another door, where there were seven bottles of different shape and size. And, finally, they reached a chamber where a large mirror stood in the centre. Harry dropped the man's hand, and walked over to the mirror. The man did not stop him as he approached it.  
As he looked into the reflective surface, he saw his own reflection. Then, he saw something else.  
Standing just behind him were two people, one a woman with flaming red hair and emerald eyes, the other a man with messy black hair and hazel eyes. Though he had never seen these people before, some instinctual part of him knew who they were.  
"Mum." He breathed. "Dad."  
He looked behind him, where his parents should have been standing. Only to see he was alone, save for the man who was still standing at the entrance to the chamber.  
He turned back to the mirror and investigated the reflection more carefully.  
His parents were with him. And they were standing in the middle of a forest. It was a clear, sunny day. Animals ran on the ground and flew within the trees. A river flowed in the background.  
It was the earth, clear of the taint of civilisation.  
He then saw his friends approaching him and his parents. Hermione reached him first. She flung her arms around his reflection, and smiled at him with joy and... And love?  
Seamus walked to his other side and placed a hand on his shoulder, grinning. Neville stood next to Seamus and gave Harry a gentle smile.  
Then, he thought he saw a fourth figure, shorter than the rest, approaching. Their features were not clear, but he felt some kind of connection to them. They walked to the other side of Hermione, and Harry could sense they were smiling at him.  
Then, he looked behind the gathering of his friends, parents, and the mysterious figure. Shadowy figures darted about the forest, as if in some sort of dance. Two of these figures came out of the trees and approached the small cluster of people. Their features were just as unclear as the figure who stood among his friends, but something within knew that they were very important to him. One was dark, mysterious, even a little intimidating, and somewhat familiar. The other was bright, though just as mysterious and just as familiar as the other figure.  
Harry suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder.  
"That's enough lad." The man who had brought him there muttered. "We have work to do. Stand aside for a second."  
Harry did so, stepping aside so the man could stand in his place.  
Instantly, the vision disappeared. This made Harry fill slightly depressed, so he preoccupied himself by studying the mirror. As he looked up, he saw an inscription on the top of the frame.  
Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.  
Harry thought over the words for a few seconds.  
"I show not your face but your heart's desire." He muttered.  
He thought over what the mirror had shown him. He supposed it made sense.  
He desired only two things, for the earth to be free of pollution and the imprisonment of society, and for love. The mirror had shown him, standing with his parents and his friends, in a land free of civilisation.  
But he was also curious. Who had those figures been? And why did he feel as if he were connected to them?  
He was broken from his musings by the man.  
"Ah, here we are." He said.  
Harry turned to see that the man now held a shining red stone. He held it out and Harry took it hesitantly.  
"Now, be careful with this." The man said. "And take care of yourself too."  
Harry could have sworn the man winked at him. However, before he could say anything, the chamber, the mirror, and the man, vanished.  
Harry jerked awake, blinking his eyes blearily. He stretched his arms and legs, only to feel a mysterious wait in his pants pocket.  
He put his hand into his pocket, and took it out holding a strangely warm, glowing object. After studying it for a few seconds, he realised it was the stone the man had given him.


	13. artifacts and treasures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dumbledore gets a talking to, and Minerva's list of things to protect keeps growing.

Chapter 13:

For the rest of the night, Minerva could not seem to fall asleep. She would like to think it was because the Morrigan's associate had forced sleep upon her early in the evening, that she found herself restless for the rest of the night. However, she knew that the true reason for her insomnia was the visit itself.  
She could not help but remember how easily he had manipulated both hers and Severus's minds, even from the Otherworld. She felt violated, as if not even her mind was safe.  
He may have said that he could only do such a thing on the four sacred days of his people, but that was four days too many, in Minerva's opinion.  
It was one thing to have The Morrigan flying around in the mortal world, capable of killing her in that terrifying crow form, if not simply spy on her. But to have her associate capable of appearing in her dreams four times a year... Not only that, but being capable of casting spells which lingered, even when she wore iron... This only raised more questions.  
What else could he do? Could he see her thoughts, her memories? Her deepest, darkest secrets could be in danger of discovery. She now felt more unsafe than ever.  
Then she thought of all the information she had gained from the conversation.  
Not only was Harry Potter court up in the games of the fae, but his friends were now tangled in this dangerous web. And apparently, there would be one more.  
Druids. They had once been a great order of magic-users, working with nature and the magic of the earth. The muggles of the time only saw them as priests, bards, teachers, advisers, and many other things. However, this was only a cover, much as the statute of secrecy was for modern witches and wizards. They had been the original wizarding world of Europe.  
And yet, their order had been wiped out, their teachings all but forgotten, thanks to the Roman empire and the later arrival of Christianity.  
As she thought about it, it made sense. If the fae were planning a return, why wouldn't they also plan the revival of the druids? They may find an order of sorcerers completely devoted to them quite useful. The fae liked to take any advantage they could. And after all, it was the fae, who taught the first druids. The Tuatha Dé Danann are even sometimes referred to as the original druids.  
Minerva only decided that, not only was she going to do everything in her power to protect Harry Potter, but also Longbottom, Finigan and Granger, as well as whoever the fourth would-be druid may be.  
However, Minerva was still concerned for the safety of her mind. Should she begin wearing iron to bed, in an attempt to block out the fae?  
Then she remembered how the conversation had been somewhat useful.  
The male fae seemed to have slightly less control over his emotions than she would have thought. From the flicker of anger when she implied the fae did not care for their children, to the hint of surprise when she revealed she knew Harry was a changeling, and especially his obvious show of hatred towards Fionn Mac Cumhaill. It was clear that, while he was possibly several millennia old, he had the temperament of a young adult, or even someone in their late teens.  
Minerva knew how to work with the emotions of young adults. She had spent decades teaching enough sixth and seventh years to know what could calm them, or what could anger them.  
And she was planning to use these skills to try to gain more information from The Morrigan's associate.  
She knew it would be hard, because the fae were known for their own mind games. But she thought that it would be worth it. The more she knew about what the Tuatha Dé Danann were planning, the more she would be able to protect Harry Potter and his friends.  
The only problem was that, if she did attempt this, she risked angering the fae. Apparently, Morrigan was already angry with her, and Minerva did not think that being on the bad side of two powerful fae would be such a good idea. However, she thought that the fae being angry with her was inevitable, if she was to fulfill her goals.  
Part of her was slightly frightened by the idea of such powerful creatures being angry towards her. The fae were known for their vengeful streak, and Minerva knew that they could hold a grudge for a very long time. However, she knew that it would be worth it, even if she had to piss off the entire Tuatha Dé Danann.

The next morning was thankfully a weekend day. This meant that Minerva did not have to teach while sleep-deprived.  
She was hoping for a nice, peaceful, relaxing morning. Unfortunately, all thoughts of relaxation were driven from her mind by an unexpected visit.  
She was sitting behind her desk, sipping at a hot cup of coffee, when she heard a knocking at her door.  
"Who is it?" She asked.  
"It's me, Professor." Came the voice of Harry Potter. "I think we need to talk."  
Minerva put down her coffee and sighed.  
"Fine, come in Mr Potter."  
Potter opened the door and entered, walking straight to her desk and sat down.  
"What seems to be the problem, Mr Potter?" She asked.  
Potter cleared his throat.  
"I need some information." He began. "And you are the only person whom I trust, who could possibly give me such information."  
Minerva frowned.  
"What kind of information?"  
"It is concerning this." The boy replied.  
He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a... A shining red stone?  
He placed the object on the desk, and it glowed in the light like a stone made of blood. Minerva stared at it for a long time.   
It couldn't be. She had heard tales of it, Albus was close friends with it's creator, after all. But she had never thought she would actually see it for herself.  
Despite never seeing it before, she knew exactly what it was.  
"How exactly did you acquire this stone?" She asked.  
Potter frowned.  
"I am not entirely sure." He confessed. "Last night, I had a dream... There was a man, though I could not see his features... He led me past the three-headed dog on the third floor... Past several obstacles and finally to a mirror which showed me... Images... Then, he handed me a stone and... Next I knew, I had woken up and this was in my pocket."  
Minerva sucked in a breath. The Morrigan's associate had obviously wanted Harry to find the stone, but children? What would a changeling, or the fae themselves for that matter, need with this stone?  
And then she remembered what Potter had said concerning the stones location.  
So that was what Albus was using the third floor for. During the previous summer, Albus had asked her and several other professors to assist in the construction of obstacles, designed for a purpose which had been known only to Albus himself. She had wondered what he could possibly need such defences for, but now it made sense.  
But why would he even hide such an artifact in a school of all things? If someone wished to steal the stone, then surely it would be a wiser decision to hide it where no one, especially children, could be hurt.  
What was Albus thinking? It was as if he wanted to put the students in danger. For surely someone would want to steal this artifact.  
"What exactly is this stone?" Potter asked, breaking Minerva out of her thoughts.  
"It..." Minerva began. "I believe it is the Philosopher's Stone. It is a very powerful artifact, created by an alchemist by the name of Nicholas Flamel."  
"What exactly is so specially about this stone?" The boy continued.  
"It has many properties." Minerva began. "It's most famous uses are the ability to turn any metal into gold, and to create the elixir of life, which extends the drinkers life."  
Potter frowned.  
"Who would have hid such a powerful object in a school?" He said.  
Minerva sighed.  
"I believe the headmaster is behind this." She replied. "He is close friends with Nicholas Flamel, and it makes sense that the alchemist would have asked him to help protect it."  
"From what?" The child continued.  
"Many would wish to possess this stone, due to it's many properties." She replied.  
Potter's frown depend.  
"I do not see what is so special about being able to turn any metal into gold, or being able to extend your lifespan." He said. "Gold is only worth as much as society gives it. Otherwise, it's just another shiny mettle. And as for the elixir of life... I don't see what is so special about living forever."  
"You don't?" Minerva asked, surprised.  
Potter shook his head.  
"No, death is just as much a part of life as anything else. The leaves and plants have to die in the beginning of winter, so new ones can sprout when spring comes. And anyway, who would want to outlive all of their friends and family?"  
Minerva blinked. She supposed she should not be surprised, considering that he was the son of a death goddess, but still... It was a little terrifying to hear such words from a child.  
She cleared her throat.  
"Well, what do you wish to do with this stone?" She asked.  
The boy eyed the stone carefully.  
"Return it to Flamel." He finally said. "Let him do with it as he sees fit."  
Minerva frowned but nodded.  
"Very well." She said.  
She was not sure if Flamel knew of where exactly Albus had hidden the stone. If he didn't, then this was going to be interesting. Perhaps Albus would finally be put in his place.

When Albus woke that morning, he did not expect for this day to be any different. He got out of bed, had breakfast in the Great Hall, red the numerous letters sent to him by various important individuals, primarily the Minister for Magic, as usual.  
He was going through some papers for the Wizengamot, sucking on a lemon drop, minding his own business. He was not expecting for someone to knock on his office door.  
"Yes, who is it?" He asked.  
"It is me, Albus."  
Albus smiled as he heard the voice of his mentor and friend, Nicholas Flamel.  
"Nicholas, please, come in." He said cheerfully.  
The elderly wizard opened the door and walked over to the desk, sitting down very carefully.  
"How are you, old friend?" Albus asked. "Lemon drop?"  
Nicholas shook his head.  
"No thank you." He replied.  
Albus nodded as he himself took another lemon drop from his tray.  
"Well, to what do I owe this unexpected visit?"  
Nicholas sighed. Albus thought the man seemed tired.  
"Albus." He began. "We have been friends for how long now... Almost a century?"  
Albus nodded.  
"Give or take a few decades."  
The alchemist sighed again.  
"Yes, and in such a long time, I would have hoped we developed a mutual trust between each other."  
"Of course there is a mutual trust between the two of us." Albus replied in surprise. "What ever could you be saying?"  
Nicholas frowned.  
"Last summer, you convinced me that my stone was in danger."  
Albus nodded.  
"Yes, I had received information that what was left of Voldemort was active. I feared that he would attempt to steal your stone, so he could use the elixir of life to restore him to full strength."  
Nicholas nodded.  
"You informed me that you would be keeping the stone safe."  
Albus nodded again.  
"Yes, and I have been..."  
"Oh really?" Nicholas asked, raising an eyebrow. "Then do you care to explain this?"  
From within his cloak, Nicholas drew a very familiar stone. He placed it between them on the desk, and Albus stared at it, dumfounded.  
"How..." He began.  
"How? What do you mean, how? Are you asking how someone could have gotten past all those traps of yours?"  
Albus could see Nicholas's expression darkening.  
"I am honestly surprised it hadn't been found sooner, considering, from what I have heard, you informed the entire school of a dangerous corridor at the beginning of the year. You are aware that by telling them of certain danger, than at least a quarter of the student body would want to explore it."  
Nicholas sighed and shook his head.  
"Why did you even hide the stone in a school in the first place?"  
"I..." Albus began. "I believed that it would be safest here."  
"Here?" Nicholas demanded. "Here, in a school full of children? You are aware that, if He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was truly after the stone, then by hiding it here, you would have put every single last child in this castle in risk?"  
Albus shrunk under the man's stare. He could not help but feel like a scolded schoolboy.  
"I..." He tried again. "I was only thinking of the..."  
"Oh, don't you begin preaching to me about The Greater Good." Nicholas spat. "These actions are inexcusable."  
He stood, grabbing the stone and putting it back into his cloak.  
"You had so much potential for good." Nicholas said, sighing. "I gave all my trust to you, gave you my most prized possession for safekeeping. And yet, you have deceived me, and have put the students under your care in jeopardy."  
Nicholas turned to leave.  
"No, Nicholas," Albus, said, standing. "I can explain..."  
Nicholas turned back to him.  
"[q~"]ow is nothing more to say." He said calmly. "Goodbye, Albus. I truly hope you receive everything you deserve."  
He walked through the door, and albus sat back on his chair, suddenly very tired.  
He had meant no harm. He had merely wished to lure Voldemort out. Instead, he felt that he had lost a friend.  
Perhaps Nicholas was correct. Perhaps he had gone too far.  
He shook his head. No, everything he did was for the greater good. Nicholas was merely too set in his ways. But eventually, he would see that everything Albus did had a reason.

It had been a few days since Harry Potter had come to her office with the Philosopher's Stone. She had only met Nicholas Flamel only a few times, but he had seemed friendly to her. She doubted that he would be a willing participant in any of Albus's schemes, especially when it involved his stone.  
So she had immediately owled Nicholas Flamel a letter explaining the situation, along with the stone in question. Now, she was waiting for Nicholas to put the old headmaster in his place.  
She had just finished her last lesson of the day, when she heard a knocking on her door.  
"Enter." She called.  
Much to her surprise, Nicholas Flamel came through the door.  
"Mr Flamel." She greeted.  
"Oh, please Minerva, call me Nicholas." The alchemist said. "I at least owe you that much."  
Minerva nodded.  
"Please, Nicholas, take a seat."  
Nicholas sat slowly in the chair opposite her.  
"Have you seen Albus yet?" She asked.  
Nicholas sighed and nodded.  
"I do not know what went wrong with that boy." He said. "So much potential... And yet, he waists it with his own ambitions."  
Minerva pursed her lips.  
"I am sorry he has done this."  
Nicholas shook her head.  
"It is none of your doing." He replied.  
Minerva shook her head.  
"I helped in constructing one of the obstacles, and I was naive enough to not push him to tell us of what he was hiding."  
Nicholas shook his head again.  
"You are just as much a pawn in his games as I am." He said.  
He cleared his throat.  
"In any case, I did not come here to discuss Albus." He began.  
"Oh, then what did you come here for?" Minerva asked.  
Nicholas sucked in a breath.  
"It was several centuries ago. I had just completed the meant of my stone. Then, one night on Samhain I was visit by a mysterious being... I believe you have met her."  
Minerva sucked in a breath.  
"The Morrigan."  
Nicholas nodded.  
"You see, the gods do not like it when us mortals make a tempt for immortality." He said. "I honestly believe she had come to kill me. However, she instead gave me an ultimatum. She could either kill both myself and my wife, and destroy the stone, or I could do her but one favour. I think it is obvious which I chose."  
Minerva blinked.  
"And what was this favour she asked of you?"  
"To guard a very powerful artifact, until the time came to pass it on." He replied. "And I believe she intended for me to give it to you."  
"To me?" Minerva asked.  
Nicholas nodded.  
"Last Samhain, she came to me and told me it was time. She informed me that you were already guarding a very important person to her plans."  
Minerva nodded.  
"It's Harry Potter. He is the one who retrieved the stone, along with another one of the Tuatha Dé Danann who is working closely with Morrigan."  
Nicholas nodded.  
"I have guarded this for well over five centuries. Now, I may be relieved of my burden, and my wife and I may rest at last."  
"What do you mean?" Minerva asked.  
Nicholas sighed.  
"When I was younger, I thought that immortality was the greatest thing one could have. I wished to live forever, to see the world grow and to learn all I could. However, after so long, I realise now that their are more important things than eternal life."  
He sighed again.  
"I am tired, Minerva. I have been tired for decades. I have only lived this long because I was waiting for Morrigan to relieve me of my burden."  
"What will you do?" She asked, already knowing the answer.  
"Perenelle and I have enough elixir in storage to sort out our affairs." Nicholas replied. "However, once all this is sorted, the two of us will say farewell to this world and part to the next."  
Minerva sucked in a breath.  
"Are you sure?"  
Nicholas nodded.  
"My work here is done. Morrigan has promised Perenelle and I a place in Tír Na nÓg, and we are looking forward to being able to finally rest in peace."  
Minerva looked down sadly.  
"Do not grieve for me Minerva." Nicholas said gently. "To the well educated mind, death is only the next great adventure."  
Minerva nodded.  
"I hope you find peace on your "next great adventure"."  
Nicholas nodded.  
"I suppose I should give this to you now."  
He then pulled out a bag, which had obviously been enchanted to hold more than it seemed, as he drew a very large object which was larger than the bag itself. Minerva stared, dumbfounded, at the Caldron now sitting on her desk. She blinked a few times, wondering why The Morrigan would want a caldron of all things to be guarded. Then, it dawned on her. This was no ordinary caldron.  
"Is... Is this?" She began.  
Nicholas nodded.  
"The Dagda's Caldron." He said.  
"One of the four sacred treasures of the Tuatha Dé Danann." She breathed. "But why?"  
Nicholas shook his head.  
"Who knows how the mind of the fae work." He said.  
Nicholas then stood.  
"I should leave now. My business here is done."  
He walked over to Minerva and clutched her and in his own frail one.  
"I advise you tired with the utmost caution." He muttered. "The Morrigan and her people are dangerous. You play a dangerous game, angering the Battle Crow."  
Minerva pursed her lips.  
"I am only trying to protect Harry Potter, and the rest of the students." She whispered.  
Nicholas nodded.  
"And that is why I respect you." He said. "I believe you just may succeed. What I once saw in Albus, I now see in you. However, I feel more confident that you will not stray from your original goal."  
Minerva nodded.  
With that, Nicholas Flamel left the office.  
Minerva sat heavily in her chair and stared at the object now on her desk.  
First a changeling, then druids, now one of the treasures of the Tuatha Dé Danann. What exactly was The Morrigan planning?  
She thought over what Nicholas had told her. She had originally thought that Morrigan had only been planning this for decades, as she had told Olivander to construct a wand that would eventually belong to Harry Potter, her changeling child, decades before the boy was even born. But oh no, this had been in the works for centuries. She shouldn't have been surprised. After all, immortal beings would plan in centuries the same way mortals would plan in years.  
She stared at the caldron.  
If one of the treasures was in play, then did that mean the other three would be? If so, then who would be guarding them? Who else had been swept up into Morrigan's schemes? And how did all this connect?  
Minerva shook her head.  
This was only another thing on her ever growing list of things to hide. And this time, she felt that The Morrigan had just made a grave error.  
She could always use this as a bargaining tool. It was a risk, considering how valuable it was to the Tuatha Dé Danann. But when playing with the fae, it was wise to take every advantage you could. And Minerva was most definitely taking this one.


	14. A changeling's humanity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Why are human emotions so confusing? Harry would like to know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, funny story. I realised I wrote a bit of a plot-hole. You see, last chapter I had Minerva being surprised to discover that Dumbledore had hidden the Philosopher's Stone in Hogwarts, but in chapter 9, she was perfectly aware of what Dumbledore was hiding. So I went back to chapter 9 and rewrote a few things. So yeah, that's that fixedi hope. So umm... Happy reading!

Chapter 14:

Harry was sitting at the table in Hagrid's small hut, drinking a large mug of tea. It had been a few weeks since the stone incident, and he had not had any strange dreams since. He had of course been curious.  
Who had that man been? And why did he seem so familiar?  
Harry did not know. And at that very moment, it was not the most important thing on his mind. No, what was on his mind was why Hagrid had asked him to come, for he knew there was a reason. Hagrid had said, very quietly, that he needed Harry's help. And Harry would of course help him. Hagrid was a lover of nature, just as much as he was. And he was also Harry's friend, and he always took care of his friends.  
"So, Hagrid," He began. "You said that you needed my help?"  
"Ahh, yes..." Hagrid began, taking a seat opposite Harry and leaning in closer. "Well, yeh see, I have bin goin through some... Issues, concernin the forest..."  
Harry raised an eyebrow.  
"What sort of issues?"  
Hagrid sucked in a breath and clenched his fists.  
"Somethin has bein killin the unicorns." He practically growled. "I've seen trails o' blood, all over the forest, and I'm gettin really worried fer the rest of the beings who live in there."  
Harry frowned. Normally he would say that a dead animal was from a predator, but from what he had heard from both Hagrid and Unicorn-Friend, the unicorns had no natural predator at all, let alone in the forest. They were seen as the very embodiment of purity. So this meant that there was something or someone murdering innocent creatures. And as a guardian of the earth, it was his duty to solve this mystery and bring whoever was guilty to justice.  
"When do we begin?" He asked calmly, not betraying his true anger at this news.  
Hagrid shuffled uncomfortably.  
"Now, yeh see," He began. "Normally I wdn' ask a student, cause it's obviously dangerous work. Bu yeh obviously not a normal student... Not ta say that's a bad thing, I'm jus' sayin..."  
Harry nodded.  
"I understand." He said. "You believe I am suitable for this task."  
Hagrid nodded.  
"Rest assured, no one will know of this." He continued. "So, when do we begin?"

That night, he used the invisibility cloak he had received upon returning to Hogwarts to sneak out of the castle. He saw Hagrid on the outskirts of the forest and quickly removed and put away his cloak before walking into view of his giant friend.  
"Hagrid." He whispered, drawing the man's attention.  
Hagrid jerked, startled, then he noticed him.  
"Harry, yeh got here withou' bein caught then."  
Harry nodded.  
"Well, if yeh ready ta begin..." The giant continued.  
He turned to the dark forest and Harry followed quickly behind.  
For a few minutes they walked in silence. Then, finally, they came to a tree where they could see a silvery streak gleaming in the fragments of moonlight which were filtered through the thick canopy.  
Hagrid dipped a finger in the silvery liquid and sniffed it.  
"It's fresh." He said quietly. "Whatever is killin the unicorns must have a fresh victim somewhere."  
Harry channeled his energy through the earth, which was made all the more easier as he had neglected to where either shoes or socks that night, and focused on the surrounding forest. After a minute or two, he opened his eyes.  
"There is a wounded unicorn close by." He said. "And something else... Something corrupt..."  
Hagrid lifted his crossbow.  
"Where?"  
Harry shook his head.  
"You wait here, I will go check it out."  
"Wha? No way am I jus' goin ta let yeh face this thing alone." Hagrid argued.  
Harry shook his head.  
"It is better strategy if you wait here for my signal. I will go ahead and assess this creature's strength. If or when I need you, I will send my birds to tell you to advance."  
Hagrid shook his head.  
"No. It's bad enough tha I asked yeh ta help me. I'm not goin ta risk your life like tha..."  
Harry shook his head again.  
"Don't worry, I can take care of myself." He replied. "And anyway, I won't be alone. I will have the earth. Nature is my home. She will help me."  
And before Hagrid could argue any more, he was off, using the energy of the earth to increase his speed.

After only a minute or so, he had reached a clearing. In this clearing, was a truly horrible site.  
Lying on the ground, completely lifeless, was a unicorn. But not any unicorn. It was Unicorn-Friend. Her beautiful mane was stained with her silvery blood, and the life had completely left her eyes.  
Worst of all, there was a dark figure hovering over her body, and it was drinking from a wound on her neck.  
Harry did not think, he could only act. He channelled his energy into the earth, and called upon the plants of the forest to help him. A vine extended from one of the trees, and wrapped itself around the neck of the figure. There was a gasp as the vine began to choke the life out of the figure. Harry approached the dead unicorn and the figure slowly. With every step the vine became tighter and tighter. Until, finally, and strange, corrupt mist came from the figure. It sent shivers down Harry's spine. It was disgusting, wrong, corrupt in every way possible. And it was staring straight at him. Two red eyes which glowed in the shadowy mist.  
"Harry Potter." It hissed. "Look at what you have done to me."  
Harry did not know what this thing was.  
"I know not what you are." He said. "All I do know is that you have murdered an innocent creature, and therefore, you must die."  
The mist laughed, a raspy, high-pitched laugh.  
"I do not fear death." It said. "Death came for me once before, and I have evaded her for this long."  
Harry gritted his teeth.  
"Not any m."he growled.  
The thing laughed again.  
"We shall see." It said, before dissipating.  
Harry tried to grab at it, but it was too late. The thing was gone.  
He turned his attention to the body which the thing had inhabited. While Harry's attention had been drawn by the corrupt mist, he had focused less on the vine which had been choking the body. Which meant the figure who had played host to the thing had managed to crawl away a few feet, though they were obviously weak.  
Harry summoned the vine again and wrapped it around the figures midsection. He drew them closer, until they were face-to-face. And, much to his surprise, he discovered the figure to be none other than Professor Quirrell.  
"You." Harry growled. "Do you willing let t...t thing possess you?"  
"You do not understand." Quirrell said, his usual false stutter gone. "He... He promised me..."  
"what, what could he have possibly promised you that was worth this?" Harry demanded, gesturing towards the dead unicorn.  
Quirrell's eyes widened.  
"You... You don't understand." He said. "The Dark Lord... He enticed me with his words...please, I was tricked into helping him..."  
Harry shook his head.  
"You are just as guilty of what has happened here as he is." He said.  
"Please." The man begged. "I... I was tricked. Have mercy..."  
Harry tightened the vine around the man's midsection. He could feel his anger growing. He could feel his breathing becoming heavier, his fists clenching.  
This man had murdered innocent creatures, and had the nerve to beg for mercy? He deserved what he had coming.  
Harry's mind entered a red haze, and he could not quite remember what happened then, but next he knew, he was standing over the mutilated corpse of what had once been a Hogwarts Professor.  
He looked upon the body in stunned horror. He had seen many things during his time in his forest, seen animals killing other animals. He had even killed a few himself for food.  
But never had he seen such brutality.  
Though he knew that death was a part of life, and that sometimes it was necessary to take another life for survival, he was still disgusted at such brutality. It reminded him far too much of the Dursleys. Could he have ended up like Quirrell, if he had stayed at the Dursleys?  
He shook his head.  
Quirrell deserved this. He had committed several murders for the sake of whatever that corrupt thing had been. He deserved to die, right?  
Harry slowly walked to his fallen friend. When he reached his dead Unicorn-Friend, he fell to his knees, his heart filled with grief and another emotion he could not quite place. He did not have his harp with him, but that did not stop him from grieving for his friend through song. He sang a lament for Unicorn-Friend, and all of her fallen kin.   
His sorrowful song echoed throughout the forest, and was heard by all it's creatures. This was including a the small clan of centaurs.  
When he was finally finished, he slumped down, exhausted. Tears had flown down his face in little rivers, and so he wiped them away. Suddenly, he could sense someone approaching. Something with four legs.  
He turned quickly to see a figure, with the upper body of a man and the lower body and legs of a horse. A centaur, if he was not mistaken.  
The centaur raised his hands in a gesture of peace.  
"Easy, I assure you, I mean you no harm." He said calmly.  
"Who..." Harry gasped.  
"My name is Firenze." The centaur, Firenze, replied. "My people and I heard your song, and we can sense you are tired. Please, come with me so that we may heal you."  
Harry tried to get to his feet, but he found he was too weak to even stand.  
Firenze only approached him calmly and gently swung the young boy over his palomino body.  
"Shhh, rest now." Firenze hushed.  
"Hagrid." Harry gasped.  
"Do not worry about Hagrid." Firenze said gently as he began to walk. "He has already been sent for help. All you need to do now is rest young prince."  
Harry did not even have the strength to argue that he was not a prince. He merely let the movement of  
firenze lull him to sleep.

Never before had Minerva been so angry with Rubeus Hagrid. Yes, the man could be a fool at times, but he had a kind heart and was loved by many. They usually got on well.  
But now, she absolutely wanted to throttle the fool.  
"Again," She began. "Explain to me what happened Rubeus."  
Rubeus shuffled uncomfortably.  
"Well, yeh see Professor," He began. "A few hours ago, Harry and me went inta the forest, cause I had asked him fer some help with..."  
"And why, did you think asking a first-year student of all people was a good idea?" Minerva asked, exasperated. She had really not wanted to be woken up at three o'clock in the morning just to deal with this amount of ,idiocy.  
"Well, in my defense," Rubeus continued. "He isn' exactly a normal firs year, now is he?"  
"That does not matter." Minerva said through gritted teeth. "He is still a student and you should not have been so irresponsible. Where is he now?"  
"Well, umm... Yeh see Professor," Rubeus began. "He told me ta stay behind while he went ahead and..."  
"And you let him?" Minerva interrupted.  
"Well, he didn' exactly leave room fer arguin." Rubeus retorted.  
Minerva sighed.  
"Then why did you leave him in the forest?"  
"I didn' want ta." Rubeus retorted. "Bu' then tha crow that's always around Harry showed up and well... Then I felt like I needed ta find you. It was as if the crow had told me ta find yeh."  
Minerva began to rub her temples. Of course the Morrigan had at least some part in this madness.  
"Well, take me to where you last saw him." Minerva sighed.

When she and Rubeus had reached the edge of the Forbidden Forest, they were met by a centaur, who had obviously been waiting for them.  
"Hello Bane." Rubeus greeted, obviously being familiar with the inhabitance of the Forbidden Forest.  
"Hagrid." The centaur greeted with a nod.  
He then turned to Minerva.  
"We know why you have come here." He said. "I assure you, he is currently under the care of our best healers."  
"He is?" Minerva asked.  
Bane nodded.  
"Last I was aware, he was resting. Though, it would still be better for you to come and see him."  
He turned to Rubeus.  
"Only her." He added.  
Hagrid made to protest, but Minerva stopped him.  
"Do not worry Rubeus." She said. "I will make sure Potter his fine. Andi will not mention this incident to anyone."  
Rubeus nodded reluctantly.  
Minerva turned to Bane and began to follow him through the trees.

Eventually, they reached the centaur's campsite. Bane led her through the tents to a slightly larger construction.  
"This is where we put him to rest." He said. "We do not know if he is awake yet."  
Minerva nodded.  
"Thank you." She said.  
Bane merely stared up to the sky.  
"We were merely doing what was required of us. Now go, the prince awaits you."  
Minerva blinked.  
"What do you mean..." She began, but before she could finish, bane had left.  
Minerva shook her head and entered the tent.

Minerva did not know how long she sat by his side for. All she knew was that something truly horrible must have happened to him, for Potter to be in such a weakened state.  
He was always so strong, in Minerva's eyes. Strong, independent, intimidating. Now, in his unconscious state, the boy looked so much younger, so much more fragile.  
He lay in a bed of leaves on the cool earth, his birds around his head, also unconscious.  
After a while, he began to move. His fingers began to twitch, he began to roll from side to side, and moans began to escape his mouth. It was clear he was in distress.  
"Mr Potter." She said, trying to wake him from his nightmare.  
It didn't work.  
"Mr Potter, Mr Potter."  
She began to shake him gently.  
"Mr Potter, wake up!"  
Suddenly, the boy shot up, his eyes wild and unfocused. Minerva felt the ground shake beneath her.  
"Mr Potter, calm down." She said, trying to catch the child's attention. "It's alright, you are safe."  
After a minute or two, Potter seemed to finally hear her words, and he snapped out of his panicked state. His startlingly green eyes turned to her.  
"Professor?" He rasped.  
"Shhhh, it is alright, you are alright." She soothed.  
Harry sucked in a deep, shaking breath. He looked at the tent around them.  
"Where are we?" He asked.  
"In the camp of the centaurs of the Forbidden Forest." She replied.  
Potter let out a shaking breath.  
"So it actually did happen." He muttered.  
"What happened Mr potter?" She asked.  
The boy clenched his fists.  
"Hagrid... He asked me to help him... Something or someone was killing the unicorns... Last night, I located a dying unicorn, and the thing that killed it... I went on ahead, because I wanted to keep Hagrid as a surprise attack, in case I could not handle whatever it was... And then..."  
His hands began to shake violently.  
"I found... Unicorn-Friend... Dead... And something... Drinking her blood..."  
His knuckles whitened, and anger shone in his eyes.  
"I used vines to choke it, and then... A mist appeared... Corrupt... Disgusting... And it... It spoke to me... Told me that... That it was my fault it was like that... And then... It vanished and... And I went to deal with the host and... And I discovered it was Quirrell..."  
Minerva sucked in a breath. Quirrell, of course it was. Both Severus and Albus had been suspicious of him. And if the host had been Quirrell, that could only mean that the mist had been...  
Potter continued his tale, his eyes darting around anxiously.  
"I...i was angry that someone could... could do an act so... So horrible... I... I had to do it..."  
"Do what, Mr Potter?" Minerva asked, already knowing the answer.  
"I killed him." He said in barely a whisper.  
Potter sucked in several deep breaths.  
"It... It was my duty, as the guardian of nature... He had murdered innocent creatures... I know I did what was right, but why do I feel... I feel this, feeling, inside of me. It is as if my chest his full of led and my hands feel so filthy, as if no matter how many times I wash them they will never be clean..."  
Minerva put a comforting hand on his shoulder.  
"It is fine." She said. "It is natural for you to feel guilt after taking another's life."  
"Guilt?" Potter questioned. "Why should I feel guilt? I have seen animals kill other animals in the wild before. I have even killed some myself. But that was all for either my own survival or for food. And they were never done out of anger. When I killed him, I just felt so much anger. I...i wanted to see him break. I wanted to see him bleed... I committed an act of violence, and I loved it. I reviled in it..."  
He stared directly into her eyes.  
"A life should never be taken with violence." He said weakly. "I am a guardian of nature, a guardian of life. Yes, death is a part of life, but it should never be so violent. If I am to take a life in order to protect the earth, I do not wish to do it violently. If I do, then I am not better than the humans... I am no better than the Dursleys..."  
Much to Minerva's surprise, Potter's shaking intensified, and tears actually began to appear in his eyes. Minerva had never seen the boy cry. He was always so composed, so guarded.  
Now, in his grief, his mask and broken, and Minerva was reminded that, while he may be a changeling, a child of the fae, he was still only a child. A child who had been denied all forms of comfort from a young age.  
In that moment, Minerva did not think, she only acted. She drew the boy into her arms and held him to her chest, as she had done for countless students before him. Yes, she was a stern teacher, but she was also a caring one.  
And she did care. She cared for this boy, and she would do anything to keep him safe.  
He may be the child of the Morrigan, but this display proved that he was not entirely like his fae-mother. The Morrigan loved violence, and was not the least bit disgusted by it afterwards. She killed without any mercy, without any regret.  
Though Potter would not admit it, he did feel both guilt and remorse for his actions.  
It were these feels which made all the difference.  
Yes, Harry ,Potter may have been born a fae, and yes, he may be constantly followed around by one of the deadliest of the fae. But he was still raised in the human world. And while he may not have had the best experience with the human race, they had obviously had some influence over his emotions. He knew things the fae did not, such as kindness, empathy, and humility. The past six months he had spent at Hogwarts was enough to prove this. They were especially prominent when he was around his human friends.  
And Minerva would do whatever it took to ensure he continued to possess these emotions. Yes, he now had human life on his hands, but that did not mean he had lost his humanity.  
And Minerva would ensure neither the Morrigan, nor any other fae, assisted in destroying such a precious thing.


	15. Firery friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neville and Hermione are truly hoping that Hogwarts is fire proof. Thanks Hagrid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's short, the next chapter will be out soon. It's just that this little bit didn't really fit in with what I'm planning for the next chapter. But this will be important much later. I don't believe in filler chapters. To me, every chapter is important.

Chapter 15:

Neither Harry, nor Minerva, spoke about what truly happened that night in the forest. The centaurs kept to themselves, so no one was going to ask them for the details, not that they would give anyone a straight answer anyway.  
They did eventually find the body, but thankfully Dumbledore chocked it up to a freak accident with a creature from the forest.  
When Harry returned to the school, Seamus, Neville and Hermione were of course concerned about where he had been all night. He simply said that he had been helping Hagrid with a problem the giant of a man had been having.  
He did not tell them of how he had killed Quirrell. He knew that they lived by the morals of society. And acording to the morals of society, murder was a crime, punishable by death.  
If they found out he had committed murder, then they would most likely hate him. He did not want this. He liked his friends, loved them even. He did not wish to lose them. Even if it meant hiding the truth, he would not lose the only humans who he cared for.

As it was partway through the second semester of the year, Minerva doubted it would be easy for Albus to find a suitable replacement for Quirrell. Though, she was most definitely not expecting the man himself to take up the position of temporary Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Albus always seemed to have a full plate, with being Headmaster of Hogwarts, with the ICW, and with the Wizengamot. But apparently, he was able to make time for this very important situation.  
His way of finding time? Pushing a lot of his work as Headmaster upon Minerva.  
Honestly, she had enough to deal with, being transfiguration teacher, being head of Gryffindor house, being deputy headmistress, trying to find out what The Morrigan and the fae were up to. And now this, on top of everything else?  
Couldn't Albus have simply given the temporary position to another member of staff? Severus had been practically begging him for the position for a decade. What was so important, that Albus saw fit to take on this extra duty?  
The reason was clear soon enough.  
He had become temporary Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, all in an attempt to get closer to Harry Potter. He would frequently ask the boy to stay back a few minutes after class, in an attempt to appeal to him. Thankfully, Harry quickly saw through this, and he was careful with his words around the old man.  
Eventually, Dumbledore went so far as to attempt to give Harry detention, just to get time alone with him. However, Harry was careful to keep his head down and to avoid trouble at all costs.  
This strategy worked fine, until around mid April.

The relationship between him and Hagrid had been tense ever since the forest incident, as the giant was guilt-ridden from putting Harry in what he felt was an extremely dangerous situation. Harry had done everything he could to console him, but Hagrid was clearly still distraught over how foolish he had been. Harry had attempted to comfit him by offering to do little favours around the grounds, but Hagrid insisted upon not asking for the boy's help.  
However, one day, Hagrid had no choice but to ask Harry for help.  
He had invited Harry and his friends down for lunch, saying that he needed to show them something.  
They were all curious what the giant wanted them to see. So they eagerly went down to Hagrid's hut. They became concerned when they saw all the windows closed and the curtains drawn, as it was quite a warm afternoon.  
Harry knocked on the door.  
"Hagrid, we're here." He called.  
"O', righ, come in."  
As soon as they opened the door and stepped inside, they were all overwhelmed by the intense heat.  
"Hagrid, what the..." Neville said.  
"Do you mind opening a window?" Seamus continued. "It's a little stuffy."  
Hagrid was sat at the table, struggling to hold something in his arms. None of them could see what this something was, however.  
"No, I can't." Hagrid replied.  
"Errr, what exactly are you holding Hagrid?" Neville asked hesitantly.  
"Oh, righ... Well, he's actually the reason why I asked yeh ta come here."  
With that, he let go of whatever he was struggling with, and a small scaly... Thing, landed on the floor.  
Hermione gasped, Neville and Seamus stared at it slack-jawed, and Harry knelt before the small creature.  
"Blood hell." Seamus muttered.  
"Isn't he beautiful?" Hagrid said, smiling. "I have decided to call him Norbert."  
"Hagrid," Hermione began. "That's... That's a... A..."  
"You do know that this is a female dragon, right?" Harry asked, actually stroking the small creature.  
The dragon actually began to hiss in contentment, and a plume of smoke came from it's nostrils.  
Hagrid shuffled uncomfortably.  
"Oh, is he... Errr, she?" He asked. "Sorry, it's jus' tha none of the books I found in tha library were helpful when it came ta figurin out' the gender of tha dragon. I must hav' accidentally thought they were a he."  
"it's fine." Harry replied. "She does not mind the name Norbert."  
Hagrid sighed in relief.  
"Hagrid, what are you doing with a dragon in your wooden house?“ Hermione asked.  
"Well, errr..." Hagrid began. "Yeh see, I've always wanted a dragon, and errr... A couple months ago I was playin cards with this man in tha Hog's head, and I told him abou' how much I love dragons and other creatures, and he said he had a dragon egg and would play me fa it... And well, I was kinda afraid abou' wha he migh' do with tha egg, seein as he was willin ta use it as a prize in a card game and..."  
"You did the right thing." Harry said, stroking the scales on Norbert's head.  
Seamus then joined Harry on the floor with the small dragon. At first, he was hesitant, but after a few seconds, he too, was smiling and stroking the dragon.  
"You know, she's not too bad." He said. "I wonder..."  
"Oh, for the love of..." Neville muttered. "That's just what the pyromaniac needs, a dragon for a friend. I wonder how long it will take for them to burn the school down."  
"Yes, that is a good point." Hermione said. "Hagrid, you can't possibly keep her here forever. She'll soon be too big for the house."  
"Yeh, I'm aware of tha." Hagrid replied. "Tha was why I asked yeh fer help. I know tha it's a lot, especially what happened ta yeh in tha forest Harry, bu... I jus' don' wan' anythin bad happenin ta Norbert. She's so small, and tha Ministry's got really strict laws abou' rogue dragons... And I don' want her beenin stuck on one o' them reserves..."  
"Do not worry Hagrid." Harry said. "It is both my duty as a guardian of nature to ensure all creatures gain the rights they deserve, as well as my duty as your friend to help you."  
"Oh, thank yeh." Hagrid said, smiling widely.  
"But what are you going to do with her Harry?" Hermione asked, obviously getting frustrated.  
"Let her live in my forest, of course." Harry replied.  
He glanced over to where Seamus was now playing with the small dragon on the floor.  
"I feel that her being close will be appreciated by more than just one of us."  
"But Harry," Hermione began exasperatedly. "Isn't there a muggle town near your forest. One where Seamus's uncle lives."  
At this, she caught Seamus's attention.  
"Don't worry." Harry replied calmly. "The wards can keep creatures in, as well as keeping unwanted visitors out. And I assure you, non of you are ever unwanted."  
"Great." Seamus said, turning back to his new friend.  
"Oh, thank yeh Harry." Hagrid said, wrapping Harry in a tight embrace.  
"Hagrid... I may... Have the lungs... Of a singer... But you are unfortunately... Crushing them."  
"O', sorry." Hagrid said, putting the boy down.  
"It's fine." Harry said.  
He turned back to Norbert.  
"How about it?" He asked her. "Would you like to come stay in my forest? There's plenty of game there, and I am sure I can convince some of the animals to help you with food until you are big enough to hunt for yourself."  
Norbert jumped up excitedly and a plume of smoke erupted from her nostrils.  
"Well, that settles it." Harry said. "Meet me at the lake tonight, and I will take Norbert to my home."  
Hagrid gasped.  
"Does it hav' ta be so soon?"  
Harry put a comforting hand on his shoulder.  
"Do not worry. You can come with me, to help Norbert get settled. And you can visit whenever you wish, all you have to do is inform me so I may take you there."  
After a few minutes of persuasion, Hagrid finally agreed to meet Harry at the edge of the lake that very night, to take Norbert to the boy's forest.

It was a sorrowful Hagrid who greeted Harry that night. He had obviously been crying, and was holding Norbert tightly like a parent afraid to loose there child. Which Harry supposed was somewhat the case. Hagrid had, after all, been filling the role of guardian for this infant dragon.  
"Are you ready?"harry asked.  
"Yeh, yehi guess." Hagrid said tearfully. "How exactly are we gettin there?"  
Harry grasped Hagrid's arm with one hand, and extended his other to the lake.  
"Do not tell anyone of this." He muttered.  
Hagrid merely nodded. Harry sucked in a deep breath and summoned the mist.  
"Ruddy hell." Hagrid breathed.  
"Come." Harry said, ignoring his friend's exclamation.  
He led Hagrid and Norbert through the mist. They emerged the other side in Harry's forest.  
"Tha... Tha was..." Hagrid said, obviously struggling to find the right words.  
"Yes, I know." Harry replied. "Now, I believe we should get Norbert acquainted with her new home."  
Norbert loved the forest. As soon as Hagrid put her down, she was running threw the trees, weaving in and out of sight.  
"Well, I guess tha's it." Hagrid said, obviously greatly saddened.  
Harry squeezed his arm.  
"Do not worry. She will be happy here, and you will be able to visit whenever you want." He comforted.  
"I know, it's jus'." Hagrid tried to say but was unable to, due to his tears.  
Harry stroked the giant's back and whispered words of comfort. After a while, it eventually worked. Hagrid sucked in a shaky breath and turned to him.  
"Well, it's gettin late, and we betta get back."  
"Wait, someone wishes to say goodbye."  
Both turned to see Norbert running up to Hagrid. When she reached her former guardian, she attempted to wrap her scaly limbs around his leg in the imitation of an embrace.  
"Yeh, I'll miss yeh too." Hagrid said. "Don' worry. I'll visit yeh soon."  
He patted her scaly head.  
"Now yeh take care o' yourself, alrigh'?"  
Norbert let out a puff of smoke in reply, before turning and running back into the forest.  
Hagrid raised his hand and waved, before turning to Harry.  
"Come on, let's go."  
Harry nodded. He grabbed a hold and Hagrid and summoned the mist again, taking them back to Hogwarts.

When Harry finally stumbled into the dormitory, exhausted from the overuse of magic, he was surprised to see Seamus still awake.  
"Hey, are you okay?"he asked.  
Seamus nodded.  
"How was Norbert with her new home?"  
"She was happy." Harry replied as he began to get dressed for bed. "It was Hagrid I was more worried for. But he is fine now. At least I hope so."  
Seamus nodded in agreement.  
"Do you think we could visit her some time?" He asked.  
Harry chuckled.  
"Alright, as long as the two of you don't burn down my forest. Remember, you might as a dragon, but I have Crow-Friend. And she is definitely more powerful than a dragon."  
Seamus chuckled.  
"I'll try not." He replied.  
Harry smiled. Hermione and Neville may debate the wisdom of encouraging the friendship between a pyromaniac like Seamus and a dragon, but he was more than happy. If they wanted to be friends, he was not going to stop them. After all, everyone deserved a friend.


	16. A proper guardian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Minerva gets another visit in her sleep, and decides for once to listen to the fae's advice and deal with Dumbledor.

Chapter 16:

It was the first of May, when Minerva stumbled into her office, urgently needing to sit down. As soon as she did reach her loving chair, she felt herself falling into darkness.  
Next she knew, she was in her office... Well, the strange imitation of it she had seen on the first of February. And yet again sitting in the chair on ow other side of the desk, without a care in the world, was The Morrigan's associate.  
Minerva sighed.  
"Let me guess, Beltane."  
The fae only smiled. Minerva scowled.  
"Is it truly necessary to force me into unconsciousness whenever you wish to speak to me like this?"  
"Depends," He replied. "Are you willing to remove every single last piece of iron from your sleeping quarters?"  
Minerva's lips narrowed.  
"I thought so." He continued.  
Minerva eyed him warily. Then, she noticed something different.  
"What, no birds?" She asked.  
The fae blinked, then chuckled lightly.  
"Oh, those."  
He reached out his hands in a very similar way to Harry, and the four birds appeared. Then, he banished them once again.  
"They aren't actual birds." He explained. "They are more of a manifestation of my power. I mostly use them as messengers, or spies in the mortal world."  
He chuckled.  
"They are also a great way to enchant women. Way back when, they got me into many a woman's bed. For some reason, they find them just so adorable."  
"And what about now?" Minerva asked. "Have you suddenly decided to change tactics in seducing women?"  
The fae shook his head.  
"No, it's because of me wife. While polyamory isn't unheard of for our people, she and I have a very special bond. Plus she's scary when she is angry, and I don't think me laying with other women would make her too happy. I like me genitals, thanks."  
Minerva frowned.  
"I presume she is not the Morrigan?"  
He shook his head.  
"Na, she isn't that scary."  
"And what does she think of Harry then?"  
The fae smirked.  
"She was one of the ones we had to hold back every Samhain. She understands that what happened between me and Morrigan was necessary, because Harry needed to be made somehow. She doesn't hold it against the lad, or me, thankfully."  
Minerva frowned.  
"And who is she exactly?"  
"Sorry, can't say." He replied. "She wants to stay as anonymous as I am."  
He cleared his throat.  
"Anyway, back to what we were saying before, I use my birds to spy on the mortal world. I just wanted to say, I saw everything that happened in that forest. I must say, I was grateful for how you comforted Harry like that when he was upset. Though, I do not know why he was so distraught over that man. After all, the fool had decided to ally himself with Voldemort, and had killed innocent creatures. What he did was justified."  
Minerva scowled. Of course he would not understand the concept of remource, and mercy.  
"Just because something is justified, it does not mean that one is not allowed to fill guilt over committing murder."  
The fae scoffed.  
"Human emotions." He muttered. "So confusing. But I suppose that is half the fun."  
Minerva frowned.  
"Is there anything else you had to say, or did you just come here to mock Harry's humanity."  
"Oh, right." The fae replied.  
He crossed his arms across his chest and frowned at her, as if disappointed.  
"I have noticed you have not had much progress in getting Dumbledore away from Harry."  
Minerva scowled.  
"What do you expect me to do? He has now made himself temporary Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher."  
He nodded slowly.  
"That may be so, but I meant that you have not made much progress in ensuring he cannot separate Harry from his forest."  
Minerva's scowl deepened.  
"Harry seems rather attached to his forest. I doubt Albus will be able to persuade him to leave it."  
"Again, you are missing the point." The fae retorted. "Dumbledore can take him by legal means. Your Ministry may be a bunch of idiots, and Harry may live like a one man fiana, and about as easy to control as one, but he is still one person and the Ministry have strength in numbers, as well as more experience. Dumbledore will use his political power to get the ministry to forcefully take Harry into custody, before he is able to reach his forest."  
"Well, my apologies for not being concerned about Albus." Minerva snapped. "I have been a little preoccupied with the literal gods who are currently using children in their schemes for world domination."  
The fae face-palmed.  
"What must I do to get it through your thick, mortal scull, that we are not the enemy here."  
"Then who is?" Minerva demanded. "You-Know-Who?"  
The fae scoffed.  
"Firstly, I am surprised you can have the balls to plot against the bloody Morrigan, and yet cannot say one silly little made up name. Secondly, the one you know as Voldemort is more of an announce than a threat."  
Minerva frowned.  
"He is one of the strongest dark wizards in the last century."  
The fae rolled his eyes.  
"Voldemort is nothing more than a winy, sociopathic little brat with daddy issues who thinks himself a god." He said dismissively. "And he has also been a pain in Morrigan's ass for several decades. I don't think she has been this pissed off since Cú Chulainn."  
He shook his head.  
"And she's not the only one. There is a literal line of people in the otherworld, both fae and dead mortal, who wish to give Voldemort some sweet payback for all he has done. Though, it's not as long as the line for Dumbledore."  
He chuckled.  
"Somehow, Lily Potter managed to jump both cues. I suppose because that woman can be just as frightening as Morrigan when she gets angry."  
Minerva sucked in a shocked breath.  
"Lily?" She asked.  
He nodded.  
"Yes, she and James reside happily in Mag Mell. I visit them from time to time. More frequently since Harry started Hogwarts."  
He smiled gently.  
"They are constantly asking for updates about him. Last time I saw them, I told them about what you did for Harry in the forest."  
He stared at her.  
"They wanted me to tell you that they are thankful Harry has you to care for him, and to help him through all the hard times."  
Minerva sucked in a breath, and she clenched her fists, trying to hold back her tears.  
The fae could obviously see how tense the situation had become, because he quickly changed the subject.  
"Anyway, what you should be focusing on is Dumbledore." He said. "Primarily, finding a way to keep him from taking Harry."  
"What am I supposed to do?" Minerva asked. "Albus has alluded to some sort of trick up his sleeve, but I would not know..."  
The fae sighed.  
"If you had been doing what you were supposed to, then you would know by now." He said. "But considering we are running low on time, I shall spell it out for you. After the Potters deaths, Dumbledore made himself Harry's magical guardian."  
Minerva gasped. A magical guardian was someone who would look after an orphaned magical child, until a suitable guardian was found. Now that the Dursleys were dead, Albus could claim custody of Harry through their laws. If he did this, he could easily find a family of his choosing to place Harry into. And considering the last, supposedly safe and loving home Albus and placed Harry in, Minerva did not have much faith that the headmaster would put the child somewhere where he would be happy.  
"What must I do to stop whatever Albus is planning?" She asked.  
"Now we're getting somewhere." The fae said happily. "Simple, just prove that Dumbledore has failed his duties as a guardian. I won't tell you any more, because I'm not just going to feed you every single last answer. It wouldn't be fun that way."  
He looked around.  
"And anyway, we have run out of time."  
He stood from his seat.  
"Nice seeing you again. Oh, and one more thing. Thought you should know that Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel send their regards. They have safely reached Tír Nah Nóg, and are happy to finally rest."  
He turned to leave, but then he turned back.  
"Oh, and do be careful with the Cauldron. Dagda wasn't too happy when he had to give it to Morrigan, and even more displeased when she intrusted it to a mortal who wished to be immortal. But thankfully, he seems to trust you more with it than he did Flamel."  
And with that, the dream faded away.

Minerva thought over what she had to do for a long time. How was she going to prove that Albus had put Harry into an abusive environment. Thanks to Morrigan, the Dursleys were dead. Harry was the only one who knew exactly what had happened in that household, and Albus would most likely find a way to prevent anyone from hearing his side of the story.  
The only other form of proof she could think of were physical wounds, but all injuries he may have gained from the Dursleys were most likely healed by now, unless...  
Of course, there were magical ways of figuring out someone's medical history. Though, it would have to be done by a healer. She knew Poppy would definitely be willing to help her with Harry, but it was the child himself she was concerned about. She feared he would not wish for anyone to know about every single last injury the Dursleys had inflicted upon him.  
Minerva sighed. It would be the only way. She would ask Harry first, as she knew he would be the harder person to convince.

The next morning, she called Harry to her office.  
"You wished to see me Professor?" The boy asked.  
Minerva nodded.  
"Yes, there is a very important matter I wish to discuss with you Mr Potter."  
Harry nodded for her to continue.  
"As you know, Professor Dumbledore has been trying for months to convince you to come under his custody."  
Harry scowled.  
"That will never happen." He said. "I will never leave my forest."  
Minerva sighed.  
"That may be so, Mr Potter. But I am afraid that Professor Dumbledore may not give you a choice."  
She eyed the boy carefully.  
"You see, just after your parents' deaths, he made himself your magical guardian. This means that he can claim custody over you until he is able to find a new suitable home."  
He clenched his firsts.  
"I will not let him."  
"You will not have a choice." Minerva retorted. "According to our laws..."  
"I do not live by the laws of society." Harry hissed.  
Minerva nodded slowly.  
"I am aware, but unfortunately, as powerful as you are, the forces of the Ministry, our government body, have great numbers and more training than you. I am afraid that Professor Dumbledore will use these forces to take you by force."  
Harry's eyes narrowed.  
"How do I stop him?"  
Minerva sighed.  
"There is a way." She began. "We must prove that you were put into an abusive environment. And to do that, I believe the only way will be to show your medical history. Now, there is a way to do this through magic..."  
"Fine." Harry interrupted.  
Minerva blinked. She was not expecting him to agree so quickly.  
"What?"  
"I said fine." The boy replied. "But this stays confidential."  
Minerva nodded.  
"It will only be the two of us, Madam Pomfrey, who will be preforming the necessary spells, and the department for child welfare in the Ministry for Magic."  
Harry nodded slowly.  
"Fine." He repeated. "Anything to ensure Dumbledore does not take me from my forest."

Poppy was all too willing to assist them in their predicament. She quickly had Harry lie on a bed in the hospital wing.  
"Now, Mr Potter," The healer began. "You are going to have to lie very still for me."  
Harry nodded.  
Poppy pulled out her wand and a scroll of parchment. She waved her wand at the parchment, then at Harry as, Immediately, the parchment began to unroll, words appear on it's surface. After a while, it finally stopped, and two thirds of the scroll had been used. Both Poppy and Minerva stared at the scroll in shock.  
"This... This is..." Poppy began, both shock and anger in her voice.   
She cleared her throat.  
"Thank you, Mr Potter. If you wish, you may go now."  
Harry got off of the bed.  
"Thank you. I would rather not go over my medical history. Living through it once was enough."  
And with that, he was gone.  
Poppy turned to Minerva, still clutching the scroll.  
"I believe we should sit down for this, and not just because of the length."  
Minerva nodded.  
They both entered Poppy's office and sat down.  
"I already know a lot." Minerva began. "Perhaps it is best if you read it first."  
Poppy nodded. She began to read through the long list. With every second that passed, her lips narrowed and her grip on the parchment became tighter. Finally, after about five or so minutes, she finished. With her completion of the list, she threw it upon the desk in disgust.  
"The Dursleys should be thankful they are dead." She growled. "Never before have I seen such... Not even with muggle-borns who had come from very strict Christian families..."  
Minerva nodded gravely.  
"Now you see why I asked you keep this confidential."  
Poppy nodded.  
"I shall owl a copy of this list to the department of child welfare at once." She said. "Though, I may have to remove a few things."  
Minerva surprised her shock.  
"What do you mean?" She asked.  
Poppy pursed her lips.  
"First of all, there was something on the list, very early, which appears to have happened when he was 15 months old. I am assuming it was the result of You-Know-Who's attack."  
"What?" Minerva asked.  
Poppy's fist clenched.  
"Something... Dark, attacked his soul. It seemed as if it was trying to take hold, possibly even posses him. B...something happened... Something, prevented it. I do not know what, however."  
Minerva clenched her fist. Why did she have the feeling Morrigan had something to do with this?  
"And then there was another thing." Poppy continued. "You see, the spell does not just reveal the medical history of someone, but also any medical conditions, allergies, vitamin deficiencies, and such.  
"And?" Minerva asked.  
"And, the spell revealed something... Strange, about Mr Potter blood." Poppy replied. "I have come to the conclusion t...t he is not quite human."  
Minerva pursed her lips. How was she supposed to cover this up. Poppy was a stubborn woman, and she would not stop until she knew the truth. Minerva did not wish to lie to her. But at the same time, she did not believe the fae would be too happy that she revealed Harry's true identity to another mortal.  
Then she decided, screw the fae, she was going to tell Poppy everything. After all, Poppy cared about the children of Hogwarts just as much as she did. If Morrigan did get angry with her, then she would just say she believed it would be useful to have a skilled healer around. Yes, she did believe that Harry could heal himself, but at the same time, he was only a child, and Poppy was a trained healer. While she did not doubt the child's strength, it was better to have a healer who was less powerful but better trained, then try to deal with problems yourself.  
Stealing her nerve, she began.  
"That would be because Mr Potter is not quite human." She said.  
Poppy raised an eyebrow.  
"Care to explain?"  
So Minerva explained, from the moment she first met Harry, to her meeting with The Morrigan on Samhain, to the two times her dreams had been invaded by The Morrigan's associate. By the end of it, Poppy was tapping her fingers on the table.  
"So, Mr Potter is a fae child." She muttered. "Well, that would at least explain why he seems so... Different, to the other students."  
Minerva nodded.  
"But he still has the ability to feel human emotion." She added.  
Poppy nodded.  
"Well, this is quite the mess you have dragged me into." She began. "But I do not mind. You are right, godlike or not, the fae have no right to use Mr Potter, or any of his friends, in their schemes."  
Minerva nodded.  
"So will you help me?"  
"Of course." Poppy said immediately.  
Minerva smiled.  
"Thank you." She said.  
Poppy smiled in return.  
"Now, I believe I should owl this list off to the proper authorities. Though, I will keep any suspicious lines from it."  
And with that, she waved her wand and a second long list of parchment appeared.  
"I will owl this immediately. Hopefully, we can gets results in a few days. Though, you never know with the ministry."  
Minerva nodded.  
"And I shall put in my application to become Mr Potter's new magical guard." She continued. Both she and Harry had agreed that she should become his new magical guardian, as he was too young to be emancipated, and he trusted that she would not try to take him from his forest.  
"I am sure you will be given approval." Poppy said. "Many former Hogwarts students, not just Gryffindors, remember how well you cared for them."  
Minerva smiled.  
"Thank you, for everything. I am sorry if this new knowledge concerning Mr Potter true identity puts you in any danger..."  
Poppy waved her hand dismissively."  
"Do not apologise. I am grateful you told me. Though, I am a little upset Severus knew before me."  
Minerva chuckled.  
"Well, I did not exactly tell him."  
Poppy also chuckled.  
"Good point."

A week or so later, Minerva received a letter informing her that she had officially been accepted as the magical guardian of Harry James Potter. All she had to do was give a signature, and the corresponding forms in the department for child welfare would also be signed. With satisfaction, she signed the form. Now hopefully Albus would stop hounding the poor boy. Oh how she wished she could see his face when he discovered he was no longer Harry's magical guardian.  
She saw out of the corner of her eye a little song bird, perched on the window of her office. She glared at it, hoping the male fae would see it.  
Now she could also focus more on finding a way to deal with the fae, without having Albus breathing down her neck. She did not care how much they claimed not to be the true enemy. In her eyes, anyone who wished to manipulate children were a problem. She was not about to just lie down and let them play their games.


	17. Coming Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end of the first school year, and the beginning of summer.

Chapter 17:

Albus was just sitting in his office, going over some documents while sucking on some lemon drops. Suddenly, an owl bearing a letter flew through his open window.  
Albus untied the letter and noticed it was from the Ministry, the Department for Child Welfare, to be precise. This was unexpected, as he usually received letters from them every six months concerning young Harry Potter, and it was not yet time for their next correspondence.  
His confusion only turned to absolute horror as he red the letter.  
Instead of asking the usual questions, inquiring for an update on Mr Potter's wellbeing, it was informing him that his status as the boy's magical guardian had been revoked. Apparently, they had anonymously received evidence, stating that he had been neglecting his duties and had left Harry Potter in an unsafe, abusive home. They did not state what exactly this evidence was, nor who the boy's new magical guardian was.  
Albus clenched his fists. This was not good, not good at all.  
How could they have even discovered Potter's treatment at the hands of his relatives? They had been dead for just over six months. The only one who could have possibly acted as a witness to the events was the boy himself. It was doubtful he had reached out to the Department of Child Welfare. Even if he had somehow discovered the existence of the department, it was doubtful that they would take the words of a child seriously. After all, children were prone to exaggeration.  
He needed to find a way of cleaning up this mess. The boy needed to be under his control. Albus simply refused to allow the rise of another dark lord. He had once made the mistake of leaving Tom Riddle to his own devices, and that had ended disastrously.  
The boy had been independent and powerful. Albus had not seen such potential since he, himself had been young.  
And yet, he had not taken enough control of Riddle's life, and the orphan boy had grown into one of the darkest wizards magical Europe had ever seen.  
Harry Potter held far more power, far more potential, than even Riddle had. That was why Voldemort had wanted to kill the boy, after all. Harry Potter was the only one powerful enough to defeat Voldemort. It was his destiny. Harry Potter must be the symbol of light to fight the dark.  
Which was why Albus needed complete control of the boy. He needed to ensure the boy did not become the next dark lord. For Albus feared Harry Potter would be a far greater threat than Lord Voldemort, if he did fall to the dark.  
He felt a small pang of guilt that he would have to put so much pressure on a child, however, he reminded himself that it was all for the greater good.  
All he did was for the greater good.

The rest of the school year was uneventful. All four friends did quite well with their exams, helping each other with revision. Hermione was of course top of the year in everything. However, Harry was not far behind in most subject, especially Herbology. Though, he himself was almost beaten by Neville in this subject.  
At the end of term feast, Gryffindor won the house cup, beating Slytherin by only a few points. The boys joked that it was thanks to all the points Hermione had won them in lessons, which caused the bushy-haired witch to blush.

On a nice, clear summer day, they left Hogwarts for the holidays. The four of them sat in a compartment, Harry looking out of the window while tuning his harp absently.  
"Feels strange, going home." Hermione commented.  
Harry shrugged.  
"I can't wait to return home. The wards need to be strengthened, and I need to ensure Norbert hasn't accidentally burnt half of the forest down."  
They all chuckled.  
"Can I visit her some time?" Seamus asked. "Umm... And you too, of course."  
Harry chuckled. Seamus had asked if he could visit Norbert, almost as much as Hagrid had over the past couple months.  
"Yes, of course." Harry said, smiling. "You all can."  
"Oh, that would be great." Hermione said.  
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who hasn't seen your forest yet." Neville added.  
"Well, the three of you are welcome any time." Harry said.  
"Do you want to organise any specific days?" Hermione asked.  
Neville shuffled in his seat.  
"Well, my birthday's on the 30th of July, and it would be great to have you guess around."  
Harry turned his head to face the others.  
"Really?“ He asked. "That's strange, because my birthday is on the 31st."  
Seamus laughed.  
"Wow, you two are only one day apart. You could be twins."  
Both Harry and Neville smirked at this.  
"Maybe we could do a joint celebration." Neville suggested.  
"A two day long party? Sounds great." Seamus agreed.  
"Well, it will be more like three days for me." Harry said.  
"Why?" Hermione asked.  
"Do you remember on your birthday, when we danced to that music?"  
"The music that just came out of nowhere?"  
Harry nodded.  
"Well, that happens for two nights in a row, every single year around the same time. On my birthday, and the night after."  
All three of his friends frowned.  
"Why?" Hermione asked.  
Harry shrugged.  
"I don't know, I have never really questioned it. All I hear is music, and I know it is nothing to be concerned over. It is not like it is harming my forest or killing the earth."  
His three friends exchanged a look.  
"So," Neville began finally. "How about all of you come to my place for the day of the 30th, and then we go to Harry's in the evening."  
Harry nodded.  
"And all of you are allowed to stay until the 2nd of August, so we are all able to enjoy three days of celebration."  
"Okay." Hermione replied. "If my parents are alright with that."  
The other two nodded.  
"Yeah, it will be great." Seamus said, grinning.  
After that, the rest of the journey was spent with small talk.

When the train reached the station, Harry walked onto the platform with his trunk and his human friends. He waved farewell to the other three and scanned the crowd for Professor McGonagall.  
The previous day, the two of them had met in the woman's office. She had informed him that the Ministry would most likely be sending someone to the platform, to ensure Harry was picked up by his legal guardian. Thankfully, this was only for the platform, and once they entered non-magical London, Harry could find the closest body of water and return to his forest.  
Sure enough, he easily spotted the stern witch in the crowd and approached her.  
"Afternoon." He greeted.  
Professor McGonagall only nodded.  
"Are you ready?" She asked.  
Harry nodded.  
"I have been ready to go home since January. Not because I do not enjoy Hogwarts, it is just I miss the forest."  
The two of them left the platform.  
"Now, Mr Potter," Professor McGonagall began. "For the first summer of my having custody of you, I will have to pay you weekly visits, to ensure your wellbeing."  
Harry nodded.  
"That is fine. Both Crow-Friend and I trust you not to bring any harm to the forest."  
Professor McGonagall nodded.  
"Where should I leave you?" She asked.  
Harry shrugged.  
"I just need to find the closest body of water."  
They walked through the streets of London in relative silence. After about half an hour, they reached a park with a small pond.  
Harry nodded.  
"This will do." He said. "Thank you."  
Professor McGonagall nodded.  
"Remember, if you are in need of anything, do not hesitate to ask."  
Harry nodded.  
With one final glance, the witch turned and with a sharp crack, was gone.  
Harry turned to the river and drew upon the magic of the earth. Soon, he was back in his forest.  
The not quite small dragon Norbert ran up to greet him. At her approach, Hedwig, who had been perched on Harry's shoulder, flew off into the trees.  
Harry laughed and wrapped his arms around the dragon.  
"Nice to see you too." He said, smiling. "Don't worry, Seamus and Hagrid will be visiting this summer."  
Norbert, who was now the size of a horse, blew out smoke in delight.  
Harry laughed and dragged his trunk to his camp. Once he reached the clearing, he immediately dropped the trunk, deciding to keep the majority of his school supplies in the readymade storage space.  
He then proceeded to remove his shoes and socks. Sighing, he berried his toes into the earth, feeling it's comforting presence entering him. And, just as he had done during the winter, he removed every single last article of clothing and through himself upon the ground, basking in it's pure energy. However, he did a little more to connect to the earth. In winter, it had been too cold, and he did not wish to risk freezing in the chill. Now, however, it was warm. He was welcome to do whatever he so desired.  
And so, he proceeded to roll around in the dirt, quickly becoming covered in the rich soil. His skin was caked with dirt and his hair was tangled with bits of grass and twigs.  
He did not care. While in society, cleanliness was mandatory, in the wild, he need not wash himself until he wished to, or unless he needed to clean a wound to avoid infection.  
He enjoyed the feeling of dirt on his skin, as if he was bathed in the earth, a constant embrace from the only mother he had ever known.  
That thought stirred something inside of him. A secret longing he had struggled not to think of. A longing for the mother he had never known. And this was quickly followed by the desire for the father he had never known. Both had given him life, and had given their lives for him, all before he could even remember. And yet, he hardly knew anything about them.  
He was broken from his thoughts by a squawk. He looked up to see Crow-Friend perched on a low-hanging branch.  
"Oh, hi." He said, his mood lightening instantly.  
The crow looked down at him with amusement in her eyes.  
"Yeah, yeah, I know he said. "I look filthy. But since when do you care about my state of cleanliness?"  
The crow squawked again. Harry smiled.  
"And anyway, I'm just happy to be home."  
And so he was. What did he need with beds, and walls, and indoor plumbing. He was a child of nature, a guardian of the earth. And here, was where his home was.

After the first week of the summer holidays, Minerva entered the strange forest that Harry called home. After passing through the wards, she strolled down the path, hoping to find him near the lake.  
Once she reached the lake, however, it was not an eleven, almost twelve, year old boy who she met. But what appeared to be a young dragon.  
Her eyes widened in horror. Even when they were young, dragons were very dangerous creatures. Due to the Ministry's restrictions, wild dragons were practically nonexistent in magical Britain and Ireland.  
So how did one end up in the forest of Harry Potter?  
She was broken from her shock by the clearing of a throat. She turned around to see the child himself, staring at her calmly.  
"Mr Potter." She said, a little more tense than she had intended. "How was your week?"  
Harry smiled.  
"It was wonderful." He replied. "It feels relieving, to be back in my forest."  
Minerva nodded.  
"And it would appear there is a new occupant of your forest." She said, nodding to the dragon. "Care to explain why there is a young dragon in your forest?"  
Harry only shrugged.  
"Hagrid was afraid Norbert would get caught and be forced to live far away in a dragon reserve, so he asked me for help. I noticed how close he had become with her, so I am allowing Norbert to live here, and for Hagrid to visit her whenever he so wishes."  
Minerva had to suppress a groan. Of course Rubeus would have something to do with a dragon. It was no secret how much he adored creatures which any rational person would consider dangerous.  
"And she has not caused any damage to the forest, or the muggle town?" She asked.  
Harry shook his head.  
"No, thankfully. The wards keep her from going too close to the non-magicals, and she knows not to harm my forest."  
His smile then turned to a grin.  
"And anyway, Seamus's uncle lives there, and I highly doubt she would wish to harm anyone close to her friend."  
Minerva blinked, and then she had to suppress another groan. Of course Seamus Finigan the pyrotechnic prodigy would be drawn to a dragon. She could only hope the two did not decide to go on any joyrides when the dragon was older, otherwise all of London may burn down.  
She shook her head.  
"Well, was there anything you needed from me?“ She asked.  
After a second, Harry nodded his head.  
"I have been thinking." He began. "For a long time, in fact."  
"What?“ Minerva asked.  
Harry frowned in thought.  
"My forest is my home." He began slowly. "And I am happy with my birds, and with Crow-Friend, and now, with my human friends. However, I have always felt there was something... Missing, from my life."  
Minerva pursed her lips. Harry continued.  
"I... I believe that I am feeling the absence of my parents."  
Minerva nodded slowly.  
"That is understandable." She said gently.  
Harry nodded.  
"Not only did they give me life, but they gave theirs so I could live. I feel... I feel as if I owe them a debt that can never be paid."  
Minerva rested a comforting hand on his shoulder.  
"It is fine, Mr Potter." She said gently. "Survivor's guilt is only natural. But you do not need to feel guilty for events which were out of your control."  
Harry nodded again.  
"I know." He said quietly. "I know I am not at fault for there deaths. However, I feel disgusted that I have never been able to pay my respects to them."  
He stared directly into her eyes.  
"Do you know where my parents were buried?"  
Minerva sucked in a breath. She had of course visited the graves of James and Lily Potter multiple times, as she did for all of the ones she cared for who she had lost in the war.  
"Yes, I do." She replied quietly. "They were buried in a cemetery in Godric's Hollow, where the three of you lived before..."  
Harry sucked in a deep breath.  
"Thank you." He said.  
"Was that all..." She began.  
Harry shook his head.  
"No," He replied. "If it is alright with you, could you take me there." He said. "It is just... I am unfamiliar with the area and I would not wish to risk anything with my normal form of transport."  
Minerva sucked in a breath, but nodded.  
"Fine then. When were you thinking of..."  
"Now, if it would be alright." Harry replied.  
Minerva sucked in a deep breath. She was not prepared for visiting the graves of two of her best former students, but if it was what Harry wanted, then she would do it.  
She nodded.  
"Yes." She said. "Are you ready now...?"  
Harry shook his head.  
"No, I wish to at least look presentable, for them."  
He then proceeded to undress himself, heedless of Minerva's presence. She decided to walk further into the trees and turn her back, to give the boys privacy whilst he bathed.  
After about five or so minutes, Harry called out.  
"I am ready, you can come back now."  
Minerva turned to see Harry completely dressed, his skin and hair clean, the latter still wet. She nodded to him.  
"Let us go to the edge of the forest, before I apperate us to Godric's Hollow."  
Harry nodded.  
"Thank you." He said, before Following Minerva to the edge of the wards. During the walk, Harry's birds had arrived carrying what appeared to be an ornately carved harp. Minerva raised an eyebrow as Harry took it into his arms, but did not comment.

Harry felt the sensation of being squeezed through a tight tube, before landing unsteadily on the outskirts of a quant little town. Professor McGonagall nodded to him.  
"Shall we go in?“ She asked.  
Harry nodded and followed the witch into the town.  
He had been thinking over this for an entire week. He felt it was extremely important he do this. After all, they had given their lives for him. The least he could do was pay his respects, as late as he was.  
After a few minutes of walking, they finally reached a small graveyard. Professor McGonagall turned to him.  
"Do you wish for me to come with you or..."  
He shook his head.  
"Can I just have a few minutes, alone with them...“ He said.  
Professor McGonagall only nodded.  
"Take all the time you need." She replied.  
Harry nodded and entered the cemetery.  
As soon as he walked through the small gate, he felt a strange energy. Not like the energy he got from the earth, but something... Strange. Almost familiar. He did not know what it was, nor did he care at that moment. He had more important things to think about.  
After a few minutes of searching, he finally found their grave.  
He fell to his knees before the tombstone, and ran his fingers over the words. According to the dates, they had only been 21 when they had died. So young, and yet so brave and selfless. Harry knew that death was a part of life, but for people who were so young... It was truly tragic.  
Then he saw the little line underneath.  
The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.  
Harry shook his head. Why were such words on his parents grave? He understood that death was seen as a horrible thing, something to be feared. But to him, death was only a part of life. It was not something to be destroyed, it was something to be accepted. And anyway, the prospect of death should only serve to make every moment of life feel more significant.  
He continued to stare at the grave. Here was where his parents had been placed for their eternal rest. Here lay the ones who had given him life, who had saved his life. He felt he should say something, anything. He had thought for a long time what he would want to say to them.  
And yet, now that the moment had come, he was unable to find the words. He just did not know where to begin, or how to say it.  
Thankfully, he had thought to bring a backup plan. He grabbed his harp from his back and got into a more comfortable sitting position. Then, as if with a mind of their own, his fingers began to play a soft, mournful tune. With the music, words began to flow to his mind, and then to his lips. A poem, a verse, of sorrow, of a family torn apart, lives lost too soon and a child forced to grow up alone, never knowing those who gave him life. He could feel his magic swirling with every word.  
He recited the lament for his parents for an uncertain amount of time. Finally, when he felt there were no more words, he finished his playing and opened the eyes he had not been aware of closing.  
The second he opened his eyes, he looked down to notice a bed of wild roses had grown on the grave while he had been lost in his poetry.  
"Thank you." He whispered while stroking the tombstone.

Minerva had not been surprised when Harry had began playing his harp to his parents grave. She had also been enchanted by the child's poetic skills. She had never actually heard him preforming, and she must admit, it was no wonder everyone in the muggle town near his forest either believed him an angel, a demon, or a fae-child. Hearing him was heart-wrenching, and yet, she could not stop herself from listening to every word.  
She then became greatly concerned when she saw what appeared to be flowers, blooming from James and Lily's grave. They were no doubt the result of Harry's magic, though she doubted they were intentional.  
She turned in surprise when she heard a gasp. She saw a small group of three or four people leaving the nearby church. She was afraid that Harry had unintentionally broken the statute of secrecy, when one of the muggles in the group, a young woman, pointed at the small child, her eyes wide.  
"An angel." She breathed, before running back into the church, closely followed by her companions.  
Minerva sighed. She could only hope the muggles did not bring anyone else over before she and Harry could leave. She turned her gaze back to the graveyard, only for something to catch in the corn of her eye.  
She looked to the close cemetery wall to see The Morrigan perched on it, staring strate at her. She met the Crow's eyes, though she felt the usual amount of fear from doing so.  
The crow continued to stare at her for a few seconds, before squawking and flying away.  
Minerva let out a breath, and realised that Harry had finished. She quietly but quickly entered the graveyard.  
She soon reached the Potters' grave, where Harry now knelt in a bed of roses.  
"Mr Potter," She began. "I am sorry to interrupt you, however, a small group of muggles noticed your performance, and jumped to the conclusion that you are an angel. I feel it's best we leave before they return with more people."  
Harry nodded slowly.  
"Very well." He said. "I shall give you a minute or so here yourself, as I can sense you wish to say something in private to them. I will just be near the gate, out of sight, of course."  
Minerva nodded.  
"Thank you." She said.  
"No, it is I who must thank you." Harry replied. "For bringing me here."  
With that, the child left and Minerva was alone with James and Lily Potter.  
She said nothing, only stroked the tombstone. She then breathed out a sigh, and stared determinedly at the grave.  
"Do not worry." She said in barely a whisper. "No matter what happens, I promise you that I shall protect Harry from everything, mortal or fae."  
And with that promise, Minerva left the cemetery. She met Harry just outside the gate and they walked away. Just in time too, because she saw the group of muggles from earlier leaving the church again with a larger gathering of muggles, including what appeared to be a priest.

They left the village of Godric's Hollow and apperated back to Harry's forest. They both parted, saddened from the people they had lost, but their hearts lighter. Harry from finally seeing his parents, and Minerva from the promise she had made. A promise she intended to keep.


End file.
